A Girl Named Harriet
by sasahara17
Summary: Harriet is an ordinary girl who has family, friends and a normal life. She also happens to dream about being a cyborg named Henrietta. What happens when her dreams start crossing over into reality?
1. A Dream Called Henrietta

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 1: A Dream Named Henrietta **

* * *

"...and after we took out Mr. Giovanni, Giuseppe took us out for ice cream as our reward. Triela and I practically gorged ourselves on it!"

Henrietta yawned as she thought about what next to put in her diary for the day. It was getting very late by her standards and because of the rather eventful day, Henrietta was feeling exhausted. However the euphoria of finally tying up three months of hard work was still fresh in her mind. Today was one of the best days of her life, and Henrietta really didn't want to forget it.

The final assault on the headquarters of the notorious arms dealer supplying the Five Republics, Mr. Nero Giovanni, went well. Three months of near constant surveillance missions, raids and sting operations culminated in one last climactic event where Henrietta had personally assassinated the man himself without suffering even a single scratch.

Giuseppe had never been more pleased with her.

Henrietta wrote a few more lines in her diary to finish the entry just as Rico, fresh from the medical wing for a check up, came into their shared room. "Hello, Henrietta. Writing your diary entry for today?"

"Just finished. After this I'm turning in. It's been a long day," Henrietta snapped the diary shut and put it on her bookshelf.

"No kidding!" Rico laughed as she settled into the lower bunk. "It's been a while since I've seen Jean so pleased. I do wish I could have gone with you and Triela though. I know you two were having such good food. Say, Jean told me you and Giuseppe are going to Sicily as part of your reward for catching Giovanni."

"Not really. We're just going because Giuseppe thought it's a good chance to relax now that we've bought ourselves some breathing room," Henrietta admitted as she climbed into the upper bunk above Rico, "You aren't coming?"

"Nope. Jean has other work lined up for us. Mr. Giovanni's death really left the Padania reeling, and he wants to, how'd he put it, 'catch them on the back foot'?"

Henrietta sighed sadly. She was really hoping her surrogate sister would come. "Sorry, Rico. I'll be having a holiday and you'll be working."

"It's okay." Rico sleepily assured Henrietta, her voice already indicating she was beginning to drift off. "You deserve your break. Anyway, we can talk about this tomorrow. I'm really tired right now."

"_Wakey, wakey, Harriet!" _

"Goodnight, Henrietta. Sleep tight."

"_Big sister, wake up! Rise and Shine! If you don't wake up, I've got a cup full of ice from the freezer with me!" _

"Goodnight, Rico." Henrietta said as she closed her eyes and let sleep take her...

"_You leave me no choice. Hya~!" _

* * *

Fifteen year old Harriet shrieked as a cup of ice cold water was emptied on her face, taking her from blissful slumber to full consciousness in a split second. Failing her arms wildly, Harriet even had to spit out an ice cube that had somehow found its way into her mouth! Despite that, Harriet knew exactly who was at fault for that. "DANICA!" Harriet sputtered.

Rolling on the floor, laughing like a hyena was Harriet's identical twin sister Danica, empty cup clutched in her hands. "Sorry Sis, you were sleeping like a log as usual. If I didn't wake you up, we were going to be late for school! Your breakfast has already gone cold!"

"You didn't have to dump a cup of cold water on me!"

"It's my sisterly duty to wake you up as annoyingly as possible. And I do need to pay you back for how loud you snore at night. I can hear you from a room over..." Quickly ducking below Harriet's furious swipe with a pillow, the younger twin continued her uncontrollable laughter as she darted out of Harriet's bedroom to avoid her older sister's wrath. "See you at school, Sis!"

"Get back here!" Harriet yelled, tripping over her bed sheets in an attempt to get at the troublemaker. She ended up sprawled on the floor for her efforts. Harriet, wet and embarrassed from the manner of waking, could only fume at the knowledge that Danica, undoubtedly already well on her way to school, was outside of her reach.

So much for justice.

"Drat." Harriet sighed quietly to herself. "Times like this, I wish I had a sister like Rico."

* * *

Despite waking up late, Harriet arrived at school with minutes to spare. She did sprint the entire way, but Harriet had made what would be a twenty minute walk in record time. Much to her annoyance, Harriet discovered that she was in fact an hour early and that Danica had lied to her from the start.

Given she had skipped her morning shower and breakfast in her rush, Harriet didn't really look her Sunday best. In fact, she looked downright scruffy. Sitting face-down at her desk in her empty homeroom, Harriet made a solemn vow to somehow poison her sister's dinner and dye all her clothes pink. If Danica said that making Harriet's life miserable was her 'sisterly duty', then Harriet would return the favour, tenfold!

"Good morning, Harriet! How are you doing today? Wow, that's some bad bed hair you got there. By the way, how'd your math homework go?" A cheerful voice greeted.

Harriet didn't even lift her head to address the all too familiar chipper voice. "Mimi, please tell me you did your homework this time."

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha... no."

"Maria Michiavelli, what am I ever going to do with you?" Harriet sighed resignedly as she dug though her schoolbag handed the taller girl her notebook. "If it wasn't for the fact you are such a good friend, and we can't win any games without you, I'd let your math grade die. In a fire."

Maria 'Mimi' Michiavelli was Harriet's best friend and fellow teammate on the girl's soccer team. Harriet had been friends with Mimi ever since she had started schooling in Sicily two years ago. Mimi moved to Sicily from Naples at about the same time as Harriet and Davica had moved to Sicily from Rome. The two hit off very well when they discovered a shared interest in soccer. However, despite the two being almost inseparable, Mimi and Harriet differed in the standard of their academic grades. It was as if their team roles were reflected in their life outlook; Mimi was the star striker who was brilliant at one role, scoring. Harriet was the attacking midfielder who was much more balanced.

"You're awfully grumpy today," Mimi observed as she quickly popped herself down in the next seat over and began to copy Henrietta's notes as fast as she could. Math was in first period, and Mimi had but mere minutes to try and salvage some semblance of a passing grade!

"Blame Danica and her plan to wake me up with ice."

"Ohh… she got you good didn't she? No wonder she's hiding from you in that clubhouse of hers. She can't hide forever though!"

"If you want to keep copying off my Math homework, you shall not speak of my sister for the duration of my uncontrollable fury. I will go berserk one day," Harriet threatened, only to illicit a laugh from her friend.

* * *

Harriet had just sat down at her usual place in the cafeteria when a loud whoop went out through the entire hall. "Hey Harriet, it's your sister! She's on television." Rowena, another friend of Harriet's, shouted across the room. Harriet's attention, and that of the majority of the crowded cafeteria, was immediately drawn to the elevated television set hanging in the corner of the room.

On the television was the unmistakable face of Police Lieutenant Olivia Vinci. The eldest Vinci sibling was something of a minor celebrity in Italy. Touted by the media as an incorruptible upholder of the law, the charismatic and skilled woman worked tirelessly to put down the ever increasing terrorist activity from northern separatists.

_In breaking news today, the Special Crimes Unit has announced the capture and arrest of notorious gunrunner Ciro Giovanni. Mr. Giovanni was a major supplier of illegal arms to the Five Republics fundamentalist group, a well know terror organization responsible for a number of bombings and killings around mainland Italy. Lieutenant Olivia Vinci, head of the SCU had this to say about the arrest. _

"_Well, I can say that we, here in the SCU, are very relieved that this man is off the streets. The arms he supplied the terrorists were indirectly responsible for the deaths of dozens, if not hundreds, around the country. Mr. Giovanni is undoubtedly a criminal of the worst kind and should be tried as such by our courts. I think the people of Rome, if not all of Italy, can sleep a little better now that this menace is off the streets." _

_Mr Giovanni is now in police custody awaiting trial. In other news... _

But Harriet had long since tuned out the newscast, having other things occupying her mind. "Mr. Ciro Giovanni?" Harriet frowned as she thought back to her most recent dream. Didn't Henrietta kill someone named Giovanni?

"You've got that look on your face again." Mimi noted. "Having those weird dreams about that girl again? What's her name? Hernia? Enrica?"

"Henrietta," Harriet hissed. "And speak softer. I don't want people hearing about it!"

Mimi gave her disturbed friend a reassuring pat on the back, although Mimi did lower her voice. "Harriet, people dream about being larger than life figures all the time. Your father's a Colonel and your older sister's a hero cop, and your brother used to be a commando. No wonder you dream about being a superspy."

"Mimi, need I remind you that Henrietta is a child assassin for a black ops government agency. Not the kind of thing any sane person should be dreaming about," Harriet muttered worriedly. "I don't know, Mimi. Am I disturbed for having such violent dreams or something? I'm pretty sure most girls don't dream about killing people when they're going through puberty."

Mimi raised an eyebrow at Harriet's statement.

"Okay. I do think about strangling Danica from time to time. But that's totally different and completely justified. You know what I mean!"

"If it bugs you that much, maybe you should tell your parents," Mimi suggested.

"I can't. Everyone is so busy dealing with the northern rebels right now, I don't want this on their plate as well. I haven't even told Danica in case she goes to them," Harriet answered honestly.

* * *

It was Harriet Vinci's darkest secret. Ever since she came to Sicily, every night without fail, Harriet would dream that she was a girl named Henrietta. While Mimi was correct in saying it would be normal to dream of being someone else who lived a more adventurous lifestyle, Henrietta was a totally different matter.

Henrietta Croce was a preteen cyborg super-soldier that killed people for a living.

She was a tool that had been brainwashed by the government to do their dirty work. Highly trained, and enhanced with a prosthetic body, Henrietta lived in a twisted world where innocence meshed with violence on a daily basis.

Every night, Harriet would dream of a different day in the life of this stranger and remember every moment of the dream like it was her own memories, as if she were watching another person's life unfold in her unconsciousness.

It was a very vivid fantasy. Henrietta had her own friends, her own home, and a 'brother' named Giuseppe she was entirely devoted to. Harriet could remember every training session, every tea party, and every mission Henrietta had ever participated in, even as the cyborg herself had begun to lose her own memories from a degrading mind. Harriet found herself 'living' the life of this girl, watching as an observer but never having any control of what unfolded.

To say the dreams frightened Harriet would not be a lie. In fact, when they first happened Harriet had been very close to telling her father about them. Not wanting to distract him and her siblings from their work, Harriet chose to say silent. However, Harriet had since gotten used to these 'dreams'. If she was perfectly honest with herself, Harriet would even go as far to say she would stay away from anything to do with Henrietta in real life.

Besides, she and Danica worried constantly about their family who were back in Rome fighting the terrorists. The twins collected every news article, every magazine report, everything relating to the unfolding events in mainland Italy, from the 'relative safety' of Camorra controlled Sicily, ironically the one place in all of the country the Five Republics feared to tread since the Camorra's recent change in management. Harriet reasoned 'Henrietta' was in actuality just her own unexpressed desire to join her family in their efforts to safeguard their country and had mostly written those dreams off.

Harriet had managed to put this problem out of her mind for her day to day life. The dream named Henrietta remained just that; a dream. But occasionally something like this would happen, where a major event in Henrietta's life, like the sudden appearance of the name Ciro Giovanni, would somehow cross over into real life and ruin Harriet's day.

And that frightened Harriet more than anything else.

* * *

"Suit yourself. I really think you're just reading too much into it," Mimi joked light-heartedly. "By the way, what set you off this time?"

Harriet scratched her cheek bashfully. "Well-"

"'Ello Mimi and my darling sister! Man, Big Sis Olivia is awesome isn't she?"

"I still haven't forgiven you for this morning Danica," Harriet addressed the person in question. Danica merely shrugged and pulled a seat for herself beside the duo.

"We really ought to call her later and congratulate her. This was a really big catch for the SCU!" Danica continued as if Harriet's threat hadn't even happened. "Anyway, I was with those losers, the Literacy Club Girls just now, and you won't believe what they're all crazy about right now."

Both Harriet and Mimi shared a curious glance. Danica was on good terms with the Literacy Club, so why did she call them losers? "What, Miss Anime Club President?" Mimi asked.

"'_Breaking Dawn_', by Stephanie Meyer. Pfft! How stupid do you have to be to like that crap? Vampire novels will totally mess up your mind," Danica said with disdain.

"But Danica, I think the Twilight series are great books. Didn't you find it romantic at how much Bella and Edward loved each other?" Harriet tiled her head in confusion.

A short silence fell over the three girls when Harriet finished speaking. Harriet was honestly puzzled at her sister for disliking an international bestseller. This had the unfortunate side effect of stopping Danica's heart cold and making the younger brunette turn deathly pale.

"…My own twin sister. I can't believe it. My own twin sister," Danica whispered, clearly struggling to accept the reality before her. "Y-Yo-You actually like Stephanie Meyer? Wh-Why?"

"Err… because she writes good books?" Mimi supplied.

And then it seemed as if Danica's mind had shut down. Tense moments passed as the younger Vinci twin's expression of disbelief stayed on her face without faltering. It was like a computer; 'Danica Vinci does not compute'. She didn't even blink. Harriet waved a hand in front of the frozen face to see if it would rouse a reaction. No luck.

Then Danica Vinci exploded.

"FAIL! You have no TASTE! Mimi, there is no other way to say it, but YOU FAIL at LIFE!" Danica declared, jamming an offending finger at Mimi before rounding on Harriet. "And You! YOU are not my sister! I have no sister! I disown you, you Sparkly Vampire Fangirl!" Danica declared tearfully before she ran away from them with her face in her hands like a heartbroken shojo-manga character that had just been shot down.

Despite the entire cafeteria now focused on them, thanks to Danica's outburst, Mimi and Harriet could only stare dumbly at where the younger Vinci Twin had just been.

"Harriet." Mimi finally managed, after remembering she had a mouth and could speak. "You have got to stop letting Danica read all those Japanese comics. It's completely messed up her mind. Seriously."

Harriet palmed her face with embarrassment. Just as how Harriet's hardworking nature and love for soccer defined her character, Danica's anime and video game obsession was completely out of her hands. "That would be easier said than done-"

"MATILDA? NOT YOU TOO!"

Well if Danica's nervous breakdown in the cafeteria had done anything, Harriet now felt a little less concerned about Mr. Giovanni. After all, the quandary of having Danica as a sister far outweighed the possible implications of some stupid dream.

* * *

Following lunch, the rest of Harriet's day passed uneventfully. It was just another day of classes followed by a few hours of soccer practice, mostly for the upcoming game between her school and local rivals. Their play had been on top form, and they were already the favourite to win, so Harriet had returned home in good spirits.

As with their usual routine, Danica did the groceries while Harriet was practicing and had even prepared dinner in their small yet comfortable apartment. Despite her earlier threats, Harriet had all but forgotten the morning incident due to her enthusiasm at the upcoming soccer match, and the two sisters shared a quiet but homely meal together.

The apartment used to belong to their aunt who had been killed in a terrorist bombing while on holiday in Venice. Because their parents and older siblings were in Rome pursuing more dangerous ventures, the two girls lived alone in Sicily. Despite their youth, and Danica's apparent immaturity at times, the twins were very independent. The two girls mostly took good care of themselves.

They had almost taken up part time jobs when their father had stepped in and told them not to. "Sicily may be safer than mainland Italy right now." He'd said, "But while the new Camorra heads may present themselves to be better than their predecessors, I still don't like them enough to let you out after dark!"

They divided the housework between themselves, responsibly pursued their schooling and other activities, and basically looked out for each other. All in all it was a typical day for the Vinci twins, all aside from an auspicious phone call.

* * *

When Harriet answered the lone telephone in the main living room, she was overjoyed to discover who it was. "Harrick!" Harriet happily greeted her brother over the phone.

Twenty five year old Harrick Vinci was Harriet's older brother, and was the only member of her immediate family currently not involved in the law enforcement field after a near fatal incident that prematurely ended his military career. A strong and jovial man despite a ruined knee, Harrick was probably closer to the twins than their parents were.

"_Hey kid! How's life in Sicily treating you?" _

"Danica's in the shower right now. I'll let you talk to her when she's done." Harriet replied.

"_Rats. I finally bought that thing she wanted me to get for her a few months back. Some newfangled gadget or something. Don't even know what it is. All I know is it's not an iPod."_

"It's a Creative ZEN player, I think. She hates iPods with a passion for some reason. Anyway, there's been something I really need to ask you about! I hear you've got a new job."

Harrick laughed._ "Ha-ha! Olivia must have told you. It's just this children's welfare thing the government has put together, nothing really special. I've actually been at the job for about three months now, so it's not _that_ new. I figured I should get something mild after all that trouble in the _Col Moschin_." _

"Nice to know you'll be doing something safe for a change."

And Harriet was happy indeed.

Harrick Vinci used to be one of the rising stars in the Italian army, right up until a shootout between his squad and a separatist cell shattered the young commando's left kneecap and tore up several muscles. His wounds were so severe that it landed him in the hospital for four months. Harrick had wanted to return to active duty; however, his wound was so severe he was eventually given an honourable discharge from the military for health and safety reasons.

Forced to forever walk with the assistance crutch, it was a crushing blow to Harrick. Yet in true Vinci fashion, the young man picked himself up and found something new to do, Social Welfare.

It was very peculiar for an ex-commando become a social welfare worker. Harriet for one had thought that her father, Colonel Leonard Vinci, would surely have not approved of his son's career swap when she'd heard of the news. However, Leonard had actually given him the go ahead with full approval, something that bewildered Harriet's sister Olivia when the two of them last talked over the phone.

Harrick seemed happy enough, and that was good enough for Harriet.

"_Well it's not as if I can save the world with me knee all messed up. I'll have to settle on _doing _something smaller for the time being. Anyway, I like my new job. And the co-workers are nice... Except for this guy named Joseph. Biggest loser I've ever met. Can't believe he's still on the payroll, or even that he's related to my boss. No way am I letting him near the kids..."_

"Kids? You deal with children?" Harriet giggled. From commando to the kindergarten cop. Only her brother could do such things!

"_Yeah, I have to do lots of babysitting. Mostly this one girl who... but I have plenty of experience with that after what you and Danica put me through." _

"Meanie."

"_Hey don't give me that. You two had me running in circles when you were younger!"_

* * *

"_... I think we have a very good chance at beating St. Abigail's at the match next Sunday. Just to be safe though, I'd better put in more effort in making sure Mimi doesn't get in detention or something. We need all the practice we can get. All in all, it was a pretty normal day."_ Harriet finished aloud as she ended the day's entry in her brown diary. She paused, considering whether 'pretty normal' was a proper way to end her entry.

Harriet reconsidered. Crossing out the last line, the teenager penned something else.

"_Today, Olivia arrested Mr. Giovanni, a man I'd only heard about when I dreamed about Henrietta. It was odd, since in my dream I was pretty sure he ended up dead. Perhaps I'm reading too much into this, but maybe this might mean something."_

Harriet stared at the line she had just written for a very long time. Very rarely, such as a day like this, Harriet would actually put something about Henrietta in her diary. It was risky. Someone could sneak a peek and find out about her secret delusions, and then Harriet would be in a world of trouble. After all, Henrietta's world seemed like the ravings of a madman, with conspiracies, experimentations, killings and other nefarious deeds mixed in with childish innocence.

If it wasn't for the fact she had somehow grown apathetic to this, Harriet would have checked herself into a mental institution the first chance she got.

However, much like the girl of her dreams, Harriet still found some small comfort in putting her experiences in paper. Perhaps it was just a way of giving her reassurance that her dreams were real, and that they were not delusions. Simply putting those words down in her diary made Harriet feel better.

Harriet snapped the diary shut. She would keep the entry as it was. Carefully placing the tome back in its hiding place on her bookshelf among the 'invisible-to-Danica' romance novels she had bought just for that purpose, Harriet quickly changed into her nightclothes. She would keep that memory of Giovanni, and perhaps one day make sense of it all.

Settling into her comfortable bed, Harriet closed her eyes and allowed her mind to slowly drift away. Before long was sound asleep. Sure enough, as with every other night before that, Harriet soon found herself living another life in her dreams...

The life of a dream named Henrietta.

_

* * *

To be continued..._


	2. Friends and Family

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

The Gandors (Cameo) are from Baccano!, created by Ryohgo Narita

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 02: Friends and Family **

**

* * *

**

"Here's your ice cream, Henrietta. Eat it before it melts."

"Thank you, Giuseppe!" The girl said happily as she accepted the double scoop cone from her beloved brother. Harriet, invisible and unable to interact with anything around her, watched as the pair enjoyed a cold dessert together. She would have thought the scene cute, if Henrietta had not slaughtered half a dozen men just a scant hour before, and the ice cream she was eating was supposed to be a reward.

"Giuseppe, I don't think I've had this flavour before. It's really good!" Henrietta remarked.

Jose smiled warmly and ruffled her hair. "It's white chocolate with macadamia flavour. I know you have a sweet tooth, so I figured the sweeter it is, the more you would like it."

"You know everything, don't you, Giuseppe?"

Lacking a physical body, Harriet could only figuratively roll her eyes at Henrietta's gushing over her beloved fratello.

Giuseppe, if that even was his real name, was something of an enigma to Harriet. Whereas Henrietta took the older man at his word and exalted his every action, Harriet actually found the man very disturbing. From her more objective viewpoint, Harriet had discovered that there were two sides to the same man.

Most of the time, Giuseppe appeared to be a pretty likable man. Unlike his brother, Jean, who merely thought of his cyborg as an expendable tool, Giuseppe often went out of his way to make Henrietta's short life as pleasant as he could. He devoted incredible amounts of time and money to his cyborg, so much so Harriet was dead certain it impacted on his social life. It mattered not whether it was because of some traumatic past, or even if it was a guilty conscience, Harriet found Giuseppe to be a loving, doting sibling…

…and then he'd order Henrietta to butcher obscene numbers of people with a cold ruthlessness she normally associated with his older brother. If anything, Giuseppe's general niceness made the instances of his cold fury even more frightening to Harriet.

The dichotomy was a conundrum Harriet had yet to solve. It was clear, at least to her, that somehow the Croce brothers had been scarred by the Five Republics in some way. They had chosen two different ways to cope, but who was right in their approach? Was Giuseppe right in treating Henrietta as a surrogate sister while also using her as a living weapon? Considering how large a part Giuseppe played in Henrietta's life, Harriet often found herself coming back to him whenever she thought of her dreams.

And above all, Harriet had one disturbing, yet nagging, question that ate away in her mind; what would she do if she ever had a sibling like Giuseppe?

While Harriet pondered this, Henrietta had quickly devoured her reward joyfully, as a twelve year old girl would, while Giuseppe watched his ward intently. "So are you excited about our upcoming holiday?"

Henrietta squealed. "Yes! It's been a while since Rico and I went to your villa. I can't wait-!"

"_HARRIET, WAKE! UP! NOW!"_

* * *

"HARRIET, WAKE! UP! NOW! It's five thirty in the morning!"

Harriet moaned as she cracked an eye open and saw her best friend standing over her bed in a blue and white soccer uniform. "Why must someone always wrest me from my beautiful sleep? Mimi, what are you doing here? The match isn't until tomorrow."

"Well, there's practice to be had." Mimi dumped Harriet's own uniform onto her bed. "Come on, get changed! That match won't win itself!"

Harriet decided that arguing with Mimi was an exercise in futility. Once Mimi had made her mind, there was little that could stop her friend. Pulling back the covers on her bed, the teenager gave a catlike stretch. "Mimi, you do realize that Danica is going to be so angry at you for waking me up before her. It's like a ritual for her, you know."

"Then she'll have to take that up with Rowena. The captain asked me to get you. She's seriously psyched about the game," Mimi chortled.

Rowena? Oh joy. "We'd best get to it then!" The only person more stubborn than Mimi, at least when it came to soccer, was their team captain and close friend, Rowena Auditore. Now, Harriet had definitely had to get a move on!

* * *

It was now nearing noon, and the exercise was well under way. The team had split in half to practice their offence and defence game by paying against each other, and at the moment it was clear that the offence had the edge.

"Harriet!"

Cornered by a defender, named Pauline, Mimi kicked the ball across the width of the field to where Harriet was waiting. Mere moments after receiving it, Harriet dribbled the ball around the defenders like a seasoned pro before she kicked the ball straight into the goal past the goalie's desperate attempt to block the near perfect shot.

"Nice shot, Harriet! Great play as always," Rowena whooped before rounding on the defending players. "And you girls. You girls, had better buck up! That's _three times _the offense has scored against you."

"Give us a break captain!" Pauline whined. "They have you, Harriet and Mimi. I don't think our opponent is going to be _that_ good."

Rowena stamped a foot down in fury "And if they are, we'll be the laughing stock! No whinging! Anyway, enough of this farce. I'll let everyone take a short break. You have five minutes!"

The whole team seemed to exhale as the formation on the field disintegrated. Some sauntered off to the benches to rest, while others broke out the water bottles. Not really feeling tired or thirsty, Harriet proceeded to have a light jog around the edge of the field for the five minutes. Lunch was in another forty five minutes, and she actually planned on leaving after that to take Danica shopping, so it wouldn't do to take a break now.

Two minutes into her jog, Harriet felt a hand come down on her shoulder. Turning around she found it was Rowena, who was jogging beside her. "Are you really sure that you want to be in midfield? You'll be brilliant as a striker."

"Pretty sure. I like to have a bit more flexibility in my role." Harriet affirmed as she gave an apologetic glance at their new goalkeeper, who was lying spread eagled at the goal posts. Having only joined the team after just transferring in from Venice five weeks ago, it seemed that Miriam was still feeling overwhelmed by her new role. Not that Harriet would take it easy on her, of course.

Harriet had a real competitive streak. It gave her a sense of satisfaction of having done something worthwhile. It doubled as a form of self improvement, allowing Harriet to constantly challenge herself to go to new heights. Having tried a wide variety of sports, Harriet eventually settled on soccer as her favourite because of its emphasis on team play, which allowed her to share the experience with friends.

Danica, of course, tried to 'convert' her sister into playing computer games, but apparently 'self improvement via level up' didn't give Harriet any kind of satisfaction _at all_. Likewise, Harriet had her suspicions that Danica could probably perform at sports if she really wanted to, but simply didn't have the same buzz she did.

They mostly were defined in their roles as 'the sporty twin' and 'the geeky twin'.

"If you say so," Rowena shrugged, before peeling off to go get a drink herself.

Harriet saw Mimi sitting cross legged on the edge of the field ahead of her. Harriet gave her friend a high five as she jogged past. "Nice shot Harriet! Makes me wonder why they even keep me around, if they have you."

"You run faster than anyone in our school. That's why the track and field team are always giving us the evil eye for stealing you!"Harriet called back.

"Ah. There is that. Count your lucky stars that I fell in love with FIFA instead of the Olympic Games!"

* * *

The remainder of training turned out to be simple ball passing. Team members paired off and did small parallel runs across the field, passing the ball between them as they ran. As always, Harriet and Mimi had chosen to take things a step further and were practically sprinting up and down the field playing what only could be described as 'dodge ball soccer'.

Of course, after the other players complained, the two settled down into a more leisurely pace, which unfortunately gave Mimi the opportunity to talk about a certain someone in the spectator stands.

"Harriet, check it out. It's Julius." Mimi pointed at the glasses wearing boy, wearing clothing a few sizes to big with an over-sized book bag slung over his shoulder. Julius was sitting in the stands, quietly trying to watch Harriet practice, discreetly.

He was failing horribly. Harriet didn't turn to look, already having known the boy was there. Instead she glared at her friend, who now wore a cheeky smirk on her face.

"Aren't you going to wave at your adoring fan?"

Harriet looked Mimi dead in the eye. "No."

Despite herself, Mimi couldn't help but wince. "Cold, Harriet. Cold."

It was no secret that Julius de Marco had a crush on Harriet after they had worked on a History project together. Julius was a shy boy who loved reading, and was often found in the local library. He also happened to be a member of Danica's anime club, and it was she who introduced the two of them.

It was really beyond Harriet how he'd developed a crush on her and not her identical twin sister, whom he'd known for much longer.

It wasn't that Harriet didn't like Julius. In fact, in the times she'd talked to him, Harriet had actually found the bookworm to be a very nice guy and generally enjoyed his company. He was one of the more sensible and studious boys in her class. Honestly, Harriet thought it was cute when he stammered in front of her. Unfortunately, she had no idea on how to deal with the boy's crush on her, and Mimi, who ribbed them constantly over it, certainly did not help matters.

Harriet gave a resigned sigh when she recognized what she was doing; Harriet was taking out her frustrations on a genuinely nice guy, whose only sin was to have a crush on her. That was rather cruel of her. "I hate so you, Mimi," Harriet whispered as she turned to the stands and gave Julio a small wave.

Much to her delight, Julius gave a small wave back.

Then, much to Harriet's dismay, Mimi opened her big mouth.

"Hey, Julius! Come on down here! Harriet wants to talk to her number one fan!" The poor boy actually jumped in his seat and then got up and hurried off. Even from down in the field, Harriet could see his face had turned red as a tomato. "Ha-Ha! There he goes!" Mimi chortled.

"Mimi, I can't believe you sometimes." Harriet frowned disapprovingly. "That was cruel and very-" Harriet trailed off.

Not too far from where Julius was sitting was this young girl, probably no older than twelve or thirteen. Dressed in a teal sundress under a large orange jacket and holding a very large black viola case in her lap, Harriet had just realized that this stranger was staring _right at her_. In fact, their eyes actually locked for a good moment before the girl turned her head away.

"Mimi, was that girl just staring at us just now?"

"Who? Which girl?"

"That one. The one with the viola case."

"The kid? Nope. Not that I can tell."

"Funny. I'm pretty sure she was..." Then something more stunning happened.

A taller, boyish looking girl with short blond hair wearing a tan jacket and blue jeans, probably about the same age as the first, walked up to the stranger and began a conversation. The first girl seemed to nod her head. Then she got up from her seat, and the two began to gradually make their way down the stands, probably leaving the stadium.

Harriet couldn't help but stare at the taller girl, recognition eating away at the corner of her mind. Just as the two were about to leave, Harriet managed to catch a glimpse of the taller girl's clear blue eyes.

Short blonde hair, blue eyes, tan jacket and blue jeans...

Short blonde hair, blue eyes, tan jacket and blue jeans...

"Wait, Rico?"

"Harriet, watch out!" Mimi suddenly bellowed.

"Wha-Crap!" Narrowly ducking a mis-aimed pass that would have slammed right into her head, Harriet soon found herself on the grass, mind still dazed.

"Whoa, close one. You almost waltzed right into it." Rowena whistled as she helped Harriet back to her feet. The whole team gathered around their midfielder with concern before the young brunette waved them off reassuringly.

"It's okay, I'm fine. You can get back to what you were doing."

This seemed to satisfy most of the girls, including Mimi. Harriet had worse scrapes before, and a near miss was quite mild as things went by. The crowd dispersed, leaving only Rowena standing there with folded arms. "What happened there Harriet? You zoned out completely for a second. It's not like you"

"I… really don't know." Harriet answered honestly as she scanned her surroundings for the girl. She had vanished like she wasn't even there. Had Harriet just imagined it?

"Hm? Perhaps I really shouldn't have gotten Mimi to wake you up prematurely. A good night's rest is important."

"No, it's alright. It won't happen again. It was just a lapse."

"If you say so. Tell you what. You were planning on leaving soon right? Call it a day and get some rest. That close call probably shook you up a bit." Rowena winked. "Can't have my dear Harriet all shaken up tomorrow can we?"

"Okay." Harriet replied. Rowena gave her friend a clap on the shoulder before returning to her troops, leaving a slightly disturbed Harriet alone with her thoughts. Taking one more look around, Harriet confirmed her phantom had indeed disappeared. "Must be my imagination." Harriet shook her head. What was she doing? Ever since that Giovanni incident last week...

Slapping her face as if to wake herself up, Harriet jogged back to her friends to wish them goodbye. However, try as she might, Harriet could not shake the sight of Rico Croce and her strange friend from her mind.

* * *

Harriet showered and changed quickly, then met her sister for lunch at a favourite bistro of their's. While Harriet had spent the morning at training, Danica had instead been hunting around town for a new game she really wanted to play, only to discover that none of the local stores had it yet.

"I am so bummed right now." Danica sighed longingly, as she stirred her chicken soup despondently. "I really, really, wanted to play Bioshock 2."

"You'll get it eventually," Harriet consoled her sister. "Just buy it online or something."

"Well I could, but the moment I connect to the internet, the lure of World of Warcraft will be too much for me to do anything else. Say, did you do something to Julius today? I saw him running out of the soccer field red as a tomato about fifteen minutes before you came out. Is it because he can't attend the match tomorrow? That math competition is almost as important..."

Harriet gave a long suffering sigh. "It's not the math competition. Mimi happened."

"Ah." Danica exclaimed, understanding the situation immediately. "You know, you should really go talk to him straight up about this. The more you two dance around each other, the longer you two will look stupid."

"Danica."

"I'm serious, Harriet. Everybody knows you two like each other."

"EH?"

Danica looked at Harriet's stupefied expression with an appraising eye and fought to keep the smirk off her features. "Oh well, my mistake," Danica conceded trying to keep a straight face. "In any case, you really should do something about Julius."

Harriet recomposed herself and seemed to deflate. "I don't know, Danica."

Danica shook her head at her sister's indecisiveness and had to literally will herself not to grin. Normally the older twin would easily take control of the situation, but for Harriet to be so conflicted over this really did prove that she was indeed a young maiden at heart. "Tell you what. You can think about it after tomorrow's game, and whatever your decision, I'll help you out. Deal?"

"Deal. Thanks, Dani."

"What are sisters for?"

* * *

Danica and Harriet spent the rest of the day having a leisurely walk around town, where they purchased several new articles of clothing. Having hit adolescence, the twins found that they were experiencing growth spurts. While still quite short in comparison to their friends, Danica and Harriet were quickly growing, forcing them to buy clothing to accommodate their taller statures.

Sicily was very pleasant this time of the year. Thanks to its gorgeous coastal views, smaller population in comparison to mainland Italy, and more agreeable climate, the island enjoyed a peace that was not shared by the rest of the nation. It was times like this that the Vinci twins appreciated just how fortunate they both were.

While the possible glimpse of what could have been Rico Croce lingered in the back of her mind, Harriet soon found herself thinking of other things more relevant to her day to day life as she walked with Danica. With more prominent issues like the upcoming match the following day, to what they planned to gave for dinner that night, eventually 'Rico' had been all but forgotten.

Returning to their coastal home overlooking the Mediterranean sea, Harriet completed yet another carefree day, safe in the knowledge that her small piece of heaven was secure.

For the present, at least.

That night, just after their meal, Harriet and Danica received surprise visitors to their small abode. Harriet had been in the process of washing the dishes when the doorbell rang. Knowing Danica was probably stuck in her room in front of her computer, Harriet ended up having to answer the door.

"Surprise!"

Harriet, hand still on the door handle, could not believe who was standing in her doorway. Her face broke out into a joyous smile. "Harrick? Olivia?"

"Hey baby sister. Look at you! You've grown so tall!" The young man gave Harriet a warm hug. "Sorry about not showing up earlier, we just got in."

"We thought you were getting lonely here in Sicily, so we decided to turn up to see you." Olivia bent to kiss her sister's cheek.

Harrick was a well built, tall man, almost six feet two in height. Having been discharged from the military, he was forced to hobble around on a crutch, much like a favourite role model of his whose name Harriet could never remember. He wore a respectable, albeit cheap suit. Harrick nevertheless was an imposing man despite the handicap.

On the other hand, Olivia seemed much more homely. Her diminutive stature of five feet four, modest clothing, and her round spectacles gave the impression of a mousey bookworm. However this 'façade' belied a fierce and courageous woman with a strong moral code who also happened to lead a crack police unit.

"What are you two doing here? I thought you had work?"

Olivia gave a fake pout and placed her hands on her hips. "It could be that my subordinates thought I was about to burn out and bullied me into seeing my little sisters, or it could be that I just missed you two and decided to take a break after tying up a big case. Take a guess."

"My direct superior decided to take a holiday to his villa and offered to turn it into a group trip." Harrick shrugged. "It's a pity our parents are busy, though. When he found out we were coming down here, they almost jumped at the chance."

Harriet could not help but giggle excitedly like a toddler at the surprise appearance of her siblings. "Danica! Danica stop playing World of Warship-whatever and get out here! You're not going to believe who's at the door!" Harriet shouted merrily down towards her twin's room.

"It's World of Warcraft! I know you don't approve Harriet but at least get the name- Olivia? Harrick! Oh wow!" Danica zipped out of the room like a speeding bullet and tackled Olivia and Harrick. "Oh wow, I can't believe you guys are here! This is the greatest- Hold on, hold on, was doing a raid. Need to sign off. Before I die or something. BRB!" And just as fast as she'd come out of her room, Danica quickly turned on her heel and bolted back to where her computer waited.

"Only my sister," Harriet sighed, only to elicit laughs from her two older siblings.

* * *

Harriet and Danica welcomed their visitors into the humble apartment, where they settled into the living room to catch up. Danica was distracted for a moment when she received her long awaited present from Harrick, but was soon yapping away happily.

"And Harriet scored this awesome goal with that insane bicycle kick. Everybody went dead quiet when she did that!" Danica recounted dramatically. "And that was two months ago! Imagine what she'll do tomorrow!"

Harriet playfully slapped her sister on the back of the head. "She's exaggerating, don't listen to her," Which was partly true as Harriet only scored that goal by sheer dumb luck because she slipped in the mud. While many found it awesome that a misstep could score a winning goal, Harriet didn't share the sentiment, since didn't feel like she worked for it.

"Oh, I don't know. You and Mimi are going to own the match tomorrow." Danica laughed before her eyes widened at what she said. Olivia was giving her younger sister the evil eye. "Oh, whoops."

Olivia didn't approve of Harriet's friend Mimi for some reason. When the oldest Vinci sibling had learned of Maria Miciavelli's friendship with Harriet sixteen months ago, she'd actually charged down to Sicily and attempted to bar the two from actually meeting. Harriet remembered that Olivia was like a lunatic back then, a strange mix between furious anger and pure unadulterated fear driving the woman.

Eventually, Leonard Vinci himself came down to Sicily to calm his daughter down, and it still took him two full hours of sweet talking to do it. '_Sins of the father are not his children_' or something. Aside from Olivia, none of Harriet's family had any problem with Mimi, and Harriet never found out why, but since then, even the slightest mention of Mimi around Olivia could possibly set the woman off.

"I can't believe it's so peaceful here," Harrick quickly tried to change the subject. "I mean, Sicily is supposed to be Camorra Country, and yet there's almost no violence. I thought this place was supposed to be a war-zone, four years back."

Olivia, being the only police officer present, sighed and answered Harrick's question. "It was. The Camorra underwent a pretty bloody coup. The American chapter of the Camorra, the Gandors, I believe, invaded because some idiot tried to put a friend of theirs in a snuff film. You can pretty much guess who won. Considering that they've only just gotten control of the island, the terrorism problem to the north has gotten them worried. That's why they're trying to make sure their little island is 'stable'."

"I see. It's ironic that the Camorra, of all people, are enforcing the peace and driving the crime rate down on their own." Harriet wondered.

"They just don't want to take any chance of the chaos in Rome to spreading to their island so soon after their conquest. Don't get me wrong, I still don't like them, but these new guys are a hell of a lot better than those bastards that kept gunning down good people in broad daylight." Olivia shrugged. "The Gandors are still dirty bastards in my opinion. They've even gone as far as to cooperate with us to protect a key crown witness to make sure that their rivals are behind bars for life. So much for the 'family honour'."

"Yeah, I heard about that." Harrick noted. "Mario Bossi was it?"

"One and the same," Olivia muttered distastefully. "Urgh, let's talk about something else. Everything to do with the 'new' Camorra leaves a bad taste in my mouth."

Deciding it was her cue, Harriet took her chance. "You two are staying for the whole weekend, right? I really hope you two could watch my game tomorrow."

"We were planning to do that anyway," Olivia said. "Besides, I can't wait to watch Harriet's super-awesome-game-winning-kick." Olivia had a few moments of blissful ignorance when the sudden realization of what she'd just said registered in her brain.

Harrick shuffled back from his older sister with surprise. "That... sounded like something that would come out of Danica's mouth." Soccer was Italy's national sport, but Olivia had always seemed indifferent to it. Guess she was a fan too, if a more eccentric one.

What followed was Olivia palming her face while the other three Vinci siblings laughed at their sister's expense. With family like this, Harriet really did feel fortunate.

Oh, she couldn't wait for tomorrow!

* * *

_To be continued_


	3. Strangers and Acquaintences

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

The Gandors (Cameo) are from Baccano!, created by Ryohgo Narita

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 03: Strangers and Acquaintances **

* * *

"You ever wonder what it would be like to play a musical instrument, Danica?" Harriet wondered aloud.

The Vinci twins were walking down the quiet streets of Sicily to meet Olivia and Harrick at a nearby cafe for breakfast. Harriet, dressed in a tracksuit with her gear in a duffel bag slung over her shoulder, was already pumped about the upcoming match in the afternoon. The sudden query about musical instruments was quite out of left field.

"What's this about musical instruments? Aren't you worried about the soccer match? The star player being distracted... oh that's not good for us is it?" Danica chided her sister.

"Just asking that's all. I had a dream about it last night."

Which wasn't a lie, in that Henrietta had spent a full day doing nothing but playing the violin while waiting for Jose. Harriet never bothered to find out if she had any musical talent at all, so observing Henrietta play the violin had always been a curious thing for her, especially since Henrietta happened to be so good at it.

It was probably Henrietta's one talent that Harriet could truly appreciate.

Henrietta also seemed to take extreme joy in playing it even when there was no one to listen to her. The sheer contentment on the cyborg's face was an expression that was rarely ever seen out of the presence of Giuseppe.

"Well if you're just asking, I think it's just like any other skill. You have to practice until you're good at it, at which point you'll become nice to listen to. It's the same with soccer."

"I didn't mean it that way," Harriet said. "I mean, how does it _feel_ to play a violin?"

"A violin, huh?" Danica tapped her foot in thought. "Well, if you want an honest answer, I wouldn't know. If I had to guess, I would probably say playing a good piece of music makes you feel the same way you feel when you play soccer and score a goal or the way I feel when I pull a raid on World of Warcraft."

Harriet nodded in agreement. That made sense. Perhaps, in a life filled with so much bloodshed, Henrietta's simple pleasure of playing a violin was much like her relationship with soccer. Harriet felt like she understood Henrietta a little better now.

"Thanks for humouring me Danica."

"Hey no problem, just as long as you focus on the game today." Danica laughed nervously. "Er, to be honest Harriet, could you really try not to lose? One of our rival clans in WoW happens to be from the other school, and I _know_ they plan to gloat if that happens."

* * *

Danica needn't have worried.

The soccer match was embarrassing... for the other team. Despite their terrible showing the previous day, the defenders made a spirited effort against their rivals. Combined with an unstoppable offense, spearheaded by Harriet, Mimi and Rowena, the score soon found itself at a lopsided 3-1 in their favour just before the final five minutes.

Make that 4-1. The jubilant roar of their supporters in the stands was testament to that. That was some really inspired manoeuvring by Mimi there.

"Nice shot, Mimi! You were great." Harriet gave her best friend a high five as she made her way back to the midfield, while the other team's goalie angrily fished the ball from his net.

"In know. I am great." Mimi grinned all too smugly. "And remember how you bet that I wouldn't score more than you? 2-1 baby, you lose!"

The bet. Uh Oh.

With five minutes left, Harriet knew she was doomed. There was no way she could turn her own little contest around now!

Harriet groaned at her friend and continued past Mimi, thinking to give her siblings a wave from where they were in the crowd. Indeed, she saw all three of her siblings seated close together in blue clothing to show their support. Harriet gave them a small wave, but froze when she caught sight of someone else in the stands not too far from where they were sitting.

It was that girl again! The one in the sun-dress, with the viola case. This time, there was no mistaking it; the girl was staring right at her! For the second time that weekend, their eyes locked for a moment. Then like before, the girl caught herself and turned away, a blush playing on her features.

"Harriet! Here comes the ball!"

"Uh-Oh!" Harriet's attention quickly snapped back to the field. There were five minutes in the game, and it wasn't like the other team could turn it around now.

This time, though, Harriet did not forget about her mysterious stalker.

* * *

"To our victory!" Rowena declared, as she hoisted her soda can above her head in toast.

"Victory!" Chimed the rest of the team and their company.

To celebrate their victory, the entire girls soccer team, plus supporters consisting of parents, siblings and friends, had descended on a local pub that Rowena had booked in advance in the event of a win. Harriet wasn't sure on just how she'd managed to pull that off, but eventually chalked it up to Rowena's headstrong persona. Thankfully, as they were all underage, the pub owner had seen fit to secure a wide selection on non-alcoholic drinks for his patrons.

Harriet was sitting at a table with family as they enthusiastically talked, first about the match and Harriet's performance, then about the twins' life in Sicily, before finally settling on the elder siblings' working lives.

Olivia regaled her siblings with much toned down tales of her exploits in the SCU. Primarily concerned with anti-terrorism in Rome at the moment, the SCU had been getting their fair share of publicity from the mass media from all their high profile arrests. With that in mind, Olivia instead told her siblings of the intricacies of running her very eccentric yet crack unit of specialists.

"You have a cool job, sis." Danica gave her sister good thumbs up that more or less summed up her opinion of her older sibling.

"Why thank you, Danica."

"So what about you, Harrick?" Harriet asked curiously. "You've been at your new job for quite a while now, haven't you?"

"Yeah, Harrick. I'm in the same city as you, and I hardly hear what you've been up to!" Olivia have her brother a playful nudge.

Harrick seemed to consider how to explain his job to his family for a moment. "Well, we help young children whose lives are not as fortunate as ours. We deal with children with disabilities, broken homes, abusive parents, orphans, that kind of thing. We take them in, give them a roof over their head, and educate them and eventually new families if we can."

"Wow, sounds important." Danica whistled.

"That's social welfare for you. There are a few long term cases that we have to keep them in our dormitory for an extended period."

"So what exactly do you do there?" Olivia spoke up, clearly taking extreme interest in her brother's work. When she'd heard that Harrick had gone into the social services, Olivia, however pleased she was at her brother's moral fibre, was confused by his career change. Her curiosity was further peaked by his description of his work. "What on earth could an organization like that need with an ex-soldier, especially one as good as you?"

Harrick laughed jovially, as if having expected the question. "Interestingly enough, I'm a caretaker. They put me in charge of a particularly traumatized girl or boy, and I'm supposed to help them along their recovery." Harrick prodded his knee for emphasis. "My experiences in the army and my rehabilitation actually make me good for this role."

"That's... an interesting reasoning for your job," Olivia marvelled.

"Well with all the madness we've been getting lately, we're getting a few kids who've ended up in our care, thanks to those damn terrorists." Harrick murmured in disgust.

"Harriet! Get over here, you owe me a soda!" Mimi shouted from somewhere in the pub.

"Oh, sorry. I have to make good on a bet I lost." Harriet apologized. "I have to buy a drink."

"That's not much of a bet." Danica wondered.

"Not when I'm supposed to sing a song Mimi picks out while dancing on a table balancing said drink _on my head_."

"When did you make that bet? That's awesome!"

"Oh wow, this I gotta see!" Harrick grinned. "I don't know about making stupid bets your age, but you have to keep your promises. It's the Vinci way."

"Rrrright..." Harriet murmured as she got up and left, leaving the remaining Vinci's to their previous discussion.

"So what's the name of this place anyway? Sounds like a fine operation."

"Well, I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have heard of it Danica. It's called..."

* * *

"Ro'. Mimi. What are you two doing?" Harriet asked as she popped herself down on the barstool beside them.

"Just talking about the game." Mimi laughed, making a 'pay up' gesture with her hands. "Now about that bet we made... I was thinking '_Moscow_', by Gengis Kahn. I know you know how to dance it. Don't forget to dance."

That song? Oh this would be painful... Before Mimi could say anything further, Harriet quickly turned to the bartender and gave him the brightest smile she could muster. "Smallest can of sparkling water you have in your inventory please."

"Hey!"

Suddenly, Harriet caught someone very familiar slinking out of the cafe in the corner of her eye, something that caused her good mood to fall away completely. "Hey Ro', Mimi, I might have something I need to take care of. Can you give me a second?"

"I'm not letting you run of!" Mimi said. Harriet however, was already halfway to the door. "Harriet! Get back here! Coward!"

* * *

"Why are you following me?"

Kiki actually jumped a few feet when she heard the voice from behind her. Turning around slowly, she was mortified to see her worst fears confirmed. Standing resolute with hands on her hips before her was Harriet Vinci, the very last person she wanted to catch her! "Er, sorry what makes you think I was?" The young girl tried to hide her nervousness.

"Don't lie to me. I saw you yesterday and at the match." Harriet accused.

"I'm... your biggest fan?" Kiki tried dumbly, before berating herself for her stupid mouth. Of course, Harriet wouldn't believe that. Fingers curling and uncurling around the viola case she carried, Kiki's mind raced a mile a minute. She knew she shouldn't have come here. She really, really shouldn't have come here!

Harriet raised an incredulous eyebrow. "That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard."

"No really, I've heard so much about you, Harriet!"

"From who?"

"Uh well, ah..." Kiki wiped the sweat from her brow. She'd really put her foot in it this time! Oh, now she was going to get into so much trouble!

"Harriet are you out here?" Harrick stepped out of the pub, his head scanning the street outside for his sister. "I saw you suddenly leaving and-"

"Harrick!" Kiki cried with relief. She ran up to the man and hugged him, all the while thanking her sheer, dumb luck. Harrick would know what to do!

"Kiki? What are you doing here? I thought you were with Ferro." Harrick's bafflement was evident. So too was Harriet whose eyes had now become like saucers.

"You know her?" Harriet blurted out.

There was a brief stillness as the three absorbed the situation they were in. Kiki was relieved, if a bit worried, since she was still going to be in trouble. Harriet was visibly bewildered and had no idea what was going on. Fortunately for Kiki, Harrick as always, seemed to have the right answer for their predicament.

"Harriet, this is Kiki. She's the girl that I'm looking after as part of my work," Harrick explained after a moment's hesitation. "She's an orphan whose family had passed on in a car accident. I've been taking care of her since. Kiki, this is Harriet, the older of my younger sisters. She came with a class excursion that a colleague of mine put on. Why don't you say hello, Kiki?"

"Er... Hello Harriet. Harrick's told me a lot about, er, you!" Kiki explained, giving an apologetic bow. "I'm a big fan of soccer and I really wanted to see if his sister is as good as he said, so I snuck out to see you."

Harriet appraised Kiki for one tense moment that seemed to span forever. "You didn't have to stalk me you know. It was really uncomfortable to have a stranger I've never met constantly looking at me like that."

"I'm very sorry. I was supposed to be with Ms. Priscilla or another supervisor at all times, so I've actually wandered off without permission to see you," Kiki admitted abashedly. "This is actually the second time I've snuck off."

Watching the poor girl reply so earnestly, Harriet couldn't help but find her anger at having been followed quickly abated. "Seems like you picked up a real handful, Harrick." Harriet teased.

"You have no idea," The older man gave a resigned sigh and hung his head, for it seemed his ward had given him some sort of complication. "By the way Kiki, is that your normal viola and not your 'other instrument'?" Harrick quickly asked.

"Yes." Kiki confirmed. "I didn't think it was safe if I was caught out with the other one."

Harrick seemed to sink into deep thought. "Oh well, since you've introduced yourself to Harriet why don't you come in Kiki? We're in trouble any way we look at it, so we might as well introduce you to everyone else."

Kiki's face lit up like a Christmas tree. "Really? You're the best, Harrick!"

* * *

Harriet was somewhat annoyed to find that somehow, in her absence, Mimi had managed to convince the barkeep to change her order into a considerably larger bottle of Pepsi that would probably take her longer to get through. Harriet didn't know what was worse, the weight gain or the fact that videos of her having to do _that_ would be all over Youtube before the day was out. On the bright side, she tripped and had the entire bottle fall into Mimi's face by 'accident'.

The video would probably registered under Danica's account, too.

Kiki, on the other hand was well received by the masses inside the pub. Harrick introduced his ward to anyone who asked. Many of Harriet's friends found her cute, while several of the older attendees seemed to regard Kiki with pity on learning she was an orphan. Still, all things considered, it went pretty well.

As it turned out, probably because of some trauma from whatever accident orphaned her, Kiki was a very insecure and shy individual. Partially due to her bashfulness, and the age gap between her and a bunch of middle schoolers, the dark haired girl had no idea how to deal with the people around her. Harriet pondered what kind of trauma the poor girl must have endured, as Kiki seemed to shrink in on herself when anyone other than the Vinci siblings approached her.

The people the young girl was most interested in was the Vinci twins. While Kiki had obviously heard of Olivia as she lived in Rome, Harriet and Danica were enigmas to her. Apparently, Harrick often talked about his sisters to Kiki, having used them as a reference point in his interactions with her. Since that was the case, Kiki was understandably curious about her caretaker's younger siblings.

It was clear Kiki was rather wary of approaching them at first, but eventually she was pelting Harriet and Danica with all sorts of questions, which they took in stride.

Eventually, the party ended and the assembly dispersed. Harriet and her family decided to head back to the twin's abode to spend the remainder of the evening.

* * *

Harriet found that Kiki was just full of surprises. She should have guessed that Kiki carried around a viola case for a reason. In retrospect, Harriet found her earlier question to Danica ironic, especially considering how, later in the day, she would meet an actual viola player.

"Bravo! Bravo!" Applauded Harriet and the other Vinci's, as Kiki finished the last notes off her musical recital. That was very nice. Kiki gave an elegant bow to her audience.

"You would totally own at Guitar Hero!" Danica praised.

"What's Guitar Hero?" Kiki mumbled to herself, clearly perplexed by the odd name.

"Dani, I doubt playing a viola will automatically make you good at a video game," Olivia chided. "Kiki, where did you learn to play like that?"

"Another girl at the welfare centre's dormitory taught me the basics. I learned the rest on my own."

"Wow, that just makes it more impressive." Harriet whistled.

Today was a really good day. She'd won the soccer match, had a big party with her teammates and family, and now was making a new friend in Kiki. Harriet had realized from little snippets from conversations that the orphan was already in quite a lot of trouble for sneaking off without supervision, and was feeling guilty about it. With that in mind Harriet decided to at least make the girl's evening with her pleasant.

Harriet honestly liked the young orphan. She hadn't known the girl long, but found Kiki's innocence and honesty to be very endearing. Harriet was curious about the Kiki and did have many questions her new friend, such as Kiki's life in the welfare dormitory or more importantly, about Kiki's friend from yesterday... however Harrick had dropped subtle hints to his siblings that Kiki's mental state was still quite fragile.

Olivia, being a bit more direct, had pulled her sisters aside and straight up told them to be careful about what they asked. "I've seen a lot of violent things happen to good people lately." Olivia told them, "I think Kiki might be one of those people. Please, please be careful about what you say to her."

In that light, Harriet decided on putting off her questions in favour of simply having fun.

"Can you play any other instruments Kiki?" Olivia queried.

"Um, a piano." Kiki answered, earning a chorus of impressed 'ooohs' from the others. "I'm still not very good at it, but my tutor says I'm getting better."

"Viola and piano, talk about talent." Harriet smiled.

Danica grinned. "Which is more than I can say-"

Suddenly a cell phone went off. "Hold on. Sorry." Harrick held out an apologetic gesture, reached into his pocket, and answered his cell phone. "Vinci. Ah, Jea-Oh. Ah... Where am I? I'm with Olivia and my two younger sisters."

Harrick suddenly moved his phone away from his ear and winced. "Oh boy."

"What?" Olivia queried.

"It's my boss. He's pissed." Harrick said, causing Kiki to look down guiltily. Harrick waited for what seemed the end of a long furious tirade before placing his phone back next to his ear. "Look, Jean. I'm sorry. Kiki snuck out again. I know, I know, you don't approve, but, seriously, she's been great with... Sorry."

It was very awkward to watch one side of the exchange while Harrick too, god knows what kind of abuse from his employer. Even Olivia seemed to regard her brother with a measure of pity. Danica shuffled over to Harriet and whispered in her ear. "Any moment now, he'll be begging not to get his pay docked."

"Quiet, Dani!" Harriet hissed.

"Look, Jean, can we talk about this later? I'm with them right now." Harrick argued. From the slight relaxation of Harrick's face, his admission seemed to placate his boss for the time being. "Right, I'll be right back, then. See you..." Harrick hung up and sighed. "Oh, boy."

"I'm sorry, Harrick," Kiki said guiltily and hung her head in shame.

"No problem, Kiki. I'm the one that took things a step further," Harrick said as he tousled Kiki's hair. He turned to his sisters with a playful yet regretful glance. "Sorry, it seems like me and Kiki are in a lot more trouble than I thought."

"Need me to come with? As a police officer, anything I might say might carry weight." Olivia suggested.

Harrick's face brightened quite a bit at her suggestion. "Verrrrrry tempting. But, no." His eyes sparkled with mirth, clearly envisioning what would possibly happen if he brought his dear sister, Lieutenant Olivia Vinci, along.

Picking up his coat from the hanger, Harrick gave, each of his sisters a goodbye hug as he made his way to the door. "It was nice seeing you, Harriet and Danica."

"No hug for me?" Olivia joked, as she light-heartedly opened her two arms.

"No, big sister Livi's a big girl now. Ah, what the heck."

"Could never stop joking could you?" Olivia said, as she embraced her brother.

Harrick turned to his ward that had also taken her things and was preparing to leave. "Say goodbye, Kiki."

"Goodbye, Harriet. Goodbye, Danica. G-Goodbye, Olivia. It... it really was a please to meet you all. I'll never forget this." Kiki bowed respectfully, with a strained vioice. Harriet tilted her head. Was it her imagination, or was Kiki about to cry?

"Hey, uh. Do you have an e-mail or something?" Danica said, holding out a hastily scribbled piece of paper to Kiki. "You know so we can keep in touch?" Standing behind Danica, Harriet gave a small smile at her sister's quick thinking.

"I don't have one, yet." Kiki admitted as she took the piece of paper from Danica and found it had only two lines of writing scribbled on it.

"Well, in case you do get one, that paper has me and Harriet's addresses. Mail us when you get the chance, will you?"

Kiki seemed to be rendered speechless by this gesture. She bowed gratefully one last time before hurrying out the door to get out of sight. "That was very nice of you two." Harrick said with pride, as he looked that, Harriet and Danica. "I don't think you know how much that means to Kiki. Thank you."

With those words, the tall man turned and left the apartment, leaving his sisters to close the door behind him.

"Poor girl, I wonder what ever happened to her?" Olivia pondered, as the trio returned to the living room.

* * *

Olivia left not long after that, and soon after the two prepared for bed, as there were classes the following day. Harriet joyfully recorded the day's entry in her diary. She'd expected Kiki to have been some kind of weirdo stalker. As it turned out, the orphan was actually very nice, if a bit lonely.

As she replaced her diary in its hiding space, Harriet hoped that Harrick would take care of Kiki, and that she would hear from the girl soon. However, despite the happy day Harriet had, there was just one last nagging question that suddenly crossed her mind.

Why was it that when she looked at Harrick and Kiki, she was somehow reminded of Giuseppe and Henrietta?

* * *

"Man, I really needed this vacation. It gave me a real chance to unwind." Olivia exclaimed.

"It was only a night and two days," Harriet noted.

"Sometimes that's all you need."

It was the following day. Harriet and Danica had skipped soccer practice and the daily anime club meet respectively to see their two siblings off. They had yet to see Harrick anywhere. Olivia reasoned he was probably with the rest of his welfare group, keeping an eye on Kiki to make sure she didn't wander off again.

"Well, it's been great you two." Olivia enveloped the two in a hug. "I'll make sure to work hard to make Italy safe again so you two can come up to Rome. Then we can see each other more often."

"You do that, big sis."

Olivia gripped the handle on the stroller bag and, with one last goodbye to Harriet and Danica, walked towards the ferry gate for departing passengers

"Alone, again. Alas, it is just the two of us, once again." Danica made a dramatic gesture with her hands. "Alas, I feel lonely."

"Come on Danica, let's go over to the observation area. We can see them board the ferry," Harriet said. While they might not be able to see Harrick off face to face, it would be hard to miss someone as tall as him boarding the ferry.

Reaching the observation point, Harriet and Danica were delighted to find there were not that many people boarding the ferry that afternoon. They didn't have to wait long for the passengers to start boarding the ferry and soon picked out Olivia among the crowd

"That's Olivia, over there!" Harriet pointed as she waved to her older sister, who caught sight of them and waved back. "Danica, do you see Harrick and Kiki? If Olivia's boarding now they shouldn't be too far."

"I can't see... There they are!" Danica announced.

"Where?" Harriet glanced about trying hard to spot her brother. He was over six feet tall; she shouldn't have such a problem spotting him!

"Behind the tall blond guy next to the short blond boy to your right!" Danica informed her sister, enthusiastically jamming a finger in the direction Harriet should have been looking.

Harriet twisted her head and there they were. Harrick and Kiki, boarding the ferry. Harriet was just about to wave when she caught sight of the 'blond guy next to the short blond boy' Danica spoke of... and when she did her mouth dropped open and her blood ran cold.

'Blond guy next to the short blond boy' wasn't exactly the right description of the pair, but it did come close, considering how boyish the girl walking beside the serious looking man was.

Harrick and Kiki were walking onto the ferry behind the unmistakable duo of Jean Croce and Rico. Harriet continued staring wordlessly at the sight before her in a mix of shock and terror as they boarded the ferry, and continued staring as the ferry left the harbour and began its journey back to the mainland.

"Dani? What's the name of the place Harrick was working at again?" Harriet asked, desperately trying to keep her voice even, despite the bile rising in her throat.

Danica blinked. "He works for the Social Welfare Agency. Uh, is there something wrong Harriet? You're looking a little pale..."

* * *

_To be continued..._


	4. Glimpse into Nightmares

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

The Gandors (Cameo) are from Baccano!, created by Ryohgo Narita

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 04: Glimpse into Nightmares **

* * *

After seeing Harrick and Kiki off, Harriet rushed home and quickly did a series of internet searches for the Social Welfare Agency on her computer. She'd never done this before, since Harriet had honestly been trying to overlook her 'delusions', but now she couldn't ignore this any longer.

The Social Welfare Agency really existed.

It advertised itself as a children's welfare organisation for the less fortunate and disabled. Exactly as Harrick had described it, almost as if he had quoted the website word for word.

Just like how she'd remembered it from Henrietta's memories. The terror of her discovery was so consuming that she actually fainted in front of her computer screen! She was lucky Danica didn't hear the sound of her falling off her chair and ending up on the floor.

It certainly did not help matters when night she dreamed about Henrietta coming back to the dormitory after a happy weekend in Sicily.

* * *

Harriet had woken up at three in three morning after recovering from her fainting spell. She went right back to investigating her insane theories that gradually became all too real to her with each passing moment.

Dissecting the SWA webpage and affiliate sites predictably didn't yield results. Harriet had instead tried researching on any major news articles regarding major operations carried out by Henrietta, or her peers. To her horror, she turned up some positive results.

'Deaths from drive by shooting in gang related violence.'

'Bellboy dies in political killing.'

'Mafia gunmen killed in shootout with authorities guarding key witness.'

'Assassination of high profile radical. Suspects not found.'

'Gas leak under a restaurant kills fifty.'

Innocuous headlines to most, except the photos taken to go with those headlines clearly matched with the ones from Henrietta's memories.

Harriet didn't know what was going on. She was confused, scared, and a whole bundle of other emotions she couldn't even begin to describe. Could this be some mere delusion of hers that she was falling into? Was she seeing signs where none existed? Certainly, Harriet had no definitive, credible proof that the benign SWA was in fact a cover for the deadliest black-ops agency the world had ever seen, but what of her dreams?

On the other hand, what if her conspiracy theories were right, and the SWA was in fact the one from Henrietta's memories? If that was the case, then what could she do with that knowledge? Harriet remembered how ruthless the SWA could be, and knew what would happen if she ran her mouth in the wrong place, a quick death was one of the kinder fates that awaited her. But more importantly, did that mean that Harrick was actually an agent? And Kiki... was she one of _them_?

Unsure if she was going insane or had somehow learned of a terrible secret through her dreams, Harriet was sure of one thing; she was very, very out of her depth.

* * *

"Good morning-Holy shit Harriet! What happened to you?" Mimi exclaimed. She had intended to meet the Vinci twins on the way to school as her their, usual routine to tell them of some important news. When Mimi did meet the twins though, she saw a concerned looking Danica hovering around a very ill looking Harriet who looked like she had swallowed a poison pill, or something worse.

What the heck? Harriet was just fine yesterday!

"What happened?"

"I don't know, I just found her like this when I woke up." Danica explained, constantly shooting her sister concerned looks. "She won't tell me anything no matter what I try."

Danica went on to explain she had really tried everything to get a response from her Harriet. Mimi was absolutely mortified at the news, for the day Harriet didn't lecture Danica for brining a PSP to the breakfast table, was the day something had truly gone wrong with Harriet's world. Danica's efforts were futile though, because much as Harriet loved her sister, Mimi knew that there were just some things that siblings would find hard to share amongst themselves, even if they were twins.

"She's been stubborn again, isn't she?" Mimi circled Harriet, checking the brunette head to toe. "Whoa, something is bothering her alright. Did you go overboard on the wake up routine this morning, Danica?"

"No, and that's what worries me. I even checked her temperature. She should be fine!"

"I'm perfectly fine, Mimi." Harriet said. Mimi didn't the brunette's weak admission, especially since Harriet's voice had become scratchy and horse.

"Okay then, Harriet. If you won't talk to Danica, you will most certainly talk to me!" Mimi declared in her most commanding voice and placed her hands on her hips. She meant business. "Don't worry about it, Danica. I bet it's just a puberty-hormonal thing that she's going though."

"I wish it were." Harriet whispered under her breadth.

Mimi stamped her foot down hard. "Right. Have it that way, Ms Stubborn. Danica, could you go on ahead and let the teachers know we'll be a little bit late? I'm going to have a word with my good friend Harriet here." Mimi seized Harriet's hand and dragged the shorter girl along.

"Mimi..."

"It's alright, Danica, I know what I'm doing. Now get to class, I can talk two of us out of detention, but three is stretching it," Mimi assured the younger Vinci twin. Before long, Danica was left alone on the lonely path to their school, the other two probably off somewhere where Harriet could spill the beans without embarrassing herself.

"Why won't you tell me Harriet?" Danica whispered dejectedly as she watched her sister being carted off before she turned and headed for school.

* * *

Harriet snuck a peek at Danica and was saddened by what she saw. Her normally jovial sister was genuinely distressed about her horrid condition. It made feel her terribly guilty, but Harriet could not find the courage to tell her twin about her problem, especially since doing so could easily find its way back to Harrick.

"Okay, Harriet, now I really think you're pulling my leg," Mimi's shoulders shook as she fought to hold back her laughter. "You think the black ops agency that you've been dreaming about that turns little girls into killing machines is real. Furthermore, you believe that your brother and that girl from Sunday are members of said organisation?"

Harriet nodded. "I don't know for sure, but I really do think there is a very real possibility..."

"Harriet, you can't be serious." Mimi said, her gin slowly slipping off her face. "You're serious, aren't you?" Harriet looked at Mimi in the eye. It was the look of a person frightened completely out of her wits, a person teetering on the edge of insanity and hysteria.

Harriet was totally serious.

Mimi had managed to locate a more private locale, namely a near deserted beach-front resting spot with nothing but two rest benches in sight. As soon as they were alone, Harriet had immediately emptied everything that had been on her mind onto her confidante. It didn't come as a surprise to Harriet that Mimi didn't believe a word she said. If their positions had been reverse, Harriet surely would have the same reaction.

"Listen to yourself, Harriet. This is crazy talk!" Mimi argued. "Look, I thought it was just a funny quirk you have before, but this is getting out of hand. How'd you even come up with this ridiculous story anyway? It's so far out you'd have to be insane or brilliant to come up with it!"

"Mimi, if I knew that, I couldn't be having this conversation with you." Harriet groaned as she slumped into the bench. "This is driving me nuts, Mimi."

"Maybe you should really talk to someone else about this."

"I can't. I might tell the wrong person."

"Not even Danica?"

"Especially my sister. If I told Danica, it could get back to Harrick, who I believe may be part of the conspiracy."

"What a mess." Mimi pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration a she pondered her friend's problem. "Urg. Tell you what. I was going to tell the class about it this morning. Something's come up for me. I have to go... somewhere else for a few days. I'll let you try and figure it out own your own until I get back. If not, I'm taking you to the school counsellor and telling Danica."

Harriet couldn't really come with any better alternatives, and in the event she was just going insane, this was probably the best idea. "Okay, Mimi. That sounds reasonable."

"Okay then." Mimi decided and clapped her friend on the shoulder. "Now, about a more pressing matter. You look like a mess, Harriet. Let's get you cleaned up alright?"

* * *

As Harriet's day dragged on, she found herself trying to keep her mind off her paranoia. She had returned to class before second period and tried to bury herself in school work to no avail. Harriet did make it a point to apologize to Danica for her rude behaviour that morning, but her twin showed more interest in Harriet's health.

Danica was too good a sister sometimes.

Mimi had managed to use her upcoming leave from school due to 'family problems' and a little fast talking, to prevent the two from been penalized from been late and skipping class. And what an excuse it was; Maria was being taken into police custody because a family member was testifying against some dangerous people in court.

This came as a real surprise to Harriet and most of the school, who had no idea Mimi's father had anything to do with the mafia. Despite this, Mimi was given a warm goodbye by the class and was gone by lunch break, presumably to wherever the police would guard her.

This of course left Harriet alone with her thoughts. She'd already informed Rowena that she was feeling ill and needed rest. While the soccer captain was 'distressed' at having both her best players out of commission, Rowena had been understanding in the end and let Harriet miss soccer practice for a few days.

As the last bell rang, Harriet was grateful that the day was over. But before she left, Harriet needed to pair up for a history project on Greek-Roman mythology before she went home. Thankfully, the problem resolved itself for her. "H-Hello Harriet. Do you want to partner up again for our presentation?"

"I'd love to. It's good to see you, Julius." Harriet smiled weakly the boy. She motioned for her project partner to sit down in the empty chair beside her. "Why don't you sit down?"

"Thank you. Um, Harriet? Don't take this the wrong way, but you don't look so good. Are you sick?"

"Don't worry about it, Julius. It's just stress, unfortunately. After school I'll be heading straight home to take it easy." Harriet lied without missing a beat. She then tried focusing on the project at hand. "So what do you want to do for our project? Greek-Roman mythology is very extensive."

"We just got the assignment. Why don't we give it a little thought before we decide on the topic?"

"I'd like to get started on it as soon as possible, Julius." So she could use it as a distraction for the _other_ things on her mind, thank you very much!

Julius popped open the textbook and scanned the pages for a few ideas. "Er, well then, how about the myth of Pygmalion? Most of the class would be going for famous tales like Hercules, Peruses or the Odyssey, so why don't we try something more unique?"

"I'm not too familiar with Pygmalion. I know it's about a statue, but that's just about it." Harriet conceded.

Julius smiled shyly. "Ah, that would make things a bit challenging, wouldn't you say?"

"I guess. Might as well have some challenge to our project." Harriet agreed.

* * *

Harriet made a beeline for her room as soon as she'd gotten home and collapsed on her bed without even changing out of her uniform. "This is the worst day of my life!" Harriet moaned into her pillow. Despite her best efforts, Harriet had been unable to distract herself from her thoughts about Henrietta.

Part of her just wanted to nod off and rest, but another part of her was afraid of what she would see in her dreams if she did precisely that.

The soft creaking of her door opening and careful footsteps alerted Harriet to a new presence in her room. Harriet knew who it was even before she chose to speak. "Harriet? Are you awake?"

"Danica. I thought you had to meet with your anime club today," Harriet observed without getting up from her bed.

Danica sat down on Harriet's bed beside her prone sister. "I'm very worried about you, Harriet. I've never seen you acting like this before. It scares me."

This was true; Harriet had always been the more level-headed of the two, and she was also the more courageous one. Danica had often remarked that she hadn't never been able to recall a time when Harriet was scared out of her wits. Not even the time when a gang of hoodlums broke into their house had Harriet lost her cool.

"I know you didn't sleep last night, and you never wake up before I do," Danica pointed out. "Can you tell me what's wrong? Please?"

Harriet groaned and turned her head away from Danica. As much as she hated to deny Danica, this was something Harriet could not drag her sister into. "It's complicated."

"You can tell Mimi and not me?"

"Like I said, it's complicated."

"Harriet..."

"Danica, can you please let it drop?" Harriet said firmly.

Why couldn't Danica just let it go? Harriet wanted to tell Danica, she really did. However Harriet had no idea how her sister would react to her theories, and what would happen if those theories were correct. It was simply too dangerous...

A slight sniffle from the girl beside her ground Harriet's thought process to halt. Although she wasn't even looking at Danica, Harriet knew exactly what was happening.

Danica was crying.

Every other worry flying out of her mind, Harriet immediately got up from where she had been lying and began comforting Danica. Guilt consumed her being. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Self centred idiot! She'd gone too far! Danica was just trying to help her and now she'd hurt her sister.

"Sorry, Dani. I didn't mean to come off so hard," Harriet said.

Danica gave a few sniffles. "It's just that I don't know what's bothering you, Harriet. I want to help but I don't know how. Just like that time. I feel so useless."

"Shussh. It's okay Danica. It's okay." Harriet consoled stroking her sister's head and allowing the younger girl to cry into her shoulder.

Harriet allowed Danica to have a good cry on her shoulder, all the while berating herself for her carelessness. How utterly irresponsible of her to forget about Danica in all her worries. Her head was so far up in the clouds that she'd totally forgotten about the people around her, and for that she'd made Danica sad.

Harriet knew the event that had caused her family to relocate Danica and her three years ago had left a lasting impression on her sister. While it was a terrifying, almost life changing experience, Harriet had gotten past it. Harriet couldn't say the same for Danica, who had almost died had she not acted with a level head.

Harriet was Danica's 'rock'. To see Harriet become a nervous wreck was downright terrifying for Danica, especially since she didn't know _why_.

They sat there in silence for what seemed like eternity. "There used to be a time when we told each other everything, you know," Danica finally whispered.

"We also used to do everything together. Remember those ballet classes? We were atrocious. I'm surprised we weren't kicked out," Harriet reminded her sister. "At least until you bought your first Game-boy that is. I blame that thing. Thanks to it, you became a hardcore nerd. I almost didn't recognise you."

Dani mock glared at Harriet with a pout. "Hey, I'm not entirely at fault. If I so recall, it was around that time you started cheering for Manchester United. What about our local Italian clubs, you traitor?"

"Don't diss Manchester United."

The two glowered at each other for a brief moment before breaking into fits of giggles. Harriet felt slightly better now, and she had a feeling that Danica felt the same. No matter what kind of problems or secrets they had, Harriet knew they could always rely on each other when the going got rough.

However, Harriet would leave telling Danica about her dreams for just a little longer. "Danica, I'm really sorry, but this is something that I have to deal with on my own."

"If you say so, Harriet," Danica finally relented as she pushed herself off the bed. "But don't forget I'm here if you ever need a shoulder to lean on okay?"

"I'll remember that," Harriet replied. Danica gave her sister one last smile before walking out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Alone again, Harriet crawled back into her bed and pulled her covers over, this time feeling genuinely tired. Now that Danica had gone, Harriet felt the feelings of helplessness and uncertainty that had plagued her throughout the day, gradually return. However, now there was a difference; Harriet, found that a sister's love helped make sleep come far more easily.

* * *

"_This, ladies and gents, is Maria Machiavelli. She is the daughter of Mario Bossi, the key witness in the crown's case against several Camorra leaders in today's trial. I believe some of you here are already familiar with Mr. Bossi."_

A quiet murmur went around the briefing room. Henrietta herself wasn't in the briefing room itself and was, in fact, waiting for Giuseppe in the corridor outside with the other cyborgs. Thanks to her powerful hearing, she was able to eavesdrop on Jean's briefing.

"_We believe that, because Mr. Bossi's face was accidentally caught on camera, Ms. Machiavelli's life may be under threat. To ensure his continued cooperation with the prosecution, Mr. Bossi has humbly requested our assistance in protecting his daughter."_

Henrietta suddenly heard a sharp intake of breath from beside her. Triela's back had gone ramrod straight the very moment she had heard the name Mario Bossi, and she now was clenching and unclenching her hands. A quick look around indicated that Rico had also noticed Triela's behaviour.

"_Ms. Machiavelli is a native to Naples. We have secured her flat and scouted the area, so most of the groundwork has been done. I want round the clock surveillance on Ms. Machiavelli. Hillshire and Triela will be her personal guard detail..."_

"Triela, is there a problem?" Henrietta asked the taller cyborg.

"Nothing, nothing at all."

Henrietta might not have been the smartest cyborg alive, but even she could see Triela was lying through her teeth. Everyone knew that ever since her scuffle with Pinocchio, Triela's confidence had taken a severe blow. Compounded with what she'd heard, it didn't take long for Henrietta to determine what had worried Triela.

"You're worried you're not up to the task of protecting Ms. Michiavelli."

For a moment, Triela looked as if she was going to protest Henrietta's statement, but then she deflated. "Yes, I'm worried. I owe Mr. Bossi a lot, and I really want this to go well."

"I heard from Jean you have a history with Mr. Bossi. You must really want to protect her right?" Rico said, in a startling show of perception. In fact it was so out of character, that Henrietta and Triela boggled at their friend.

"Jean actually _told _you?"

"Well, he didn't exactly 'tell' me." Rico laughed abashedly. "It was more of yelling at Hillshire for letting Mr. Bossi escape his watch, and I just listened in."

The mental image of Jean lecturing Hillshire caused all three cyborgs to break into fits of laughter. "Don't worry, Triela. We're backing you up," Henrietta said. "Even if you mess up, we'll cover for you. You'd do the same for us."

"We'll make sure nothing happens to Ms. Michiavelli, so you can relax a bit, Triela." Rico guaranteed. "We're in this together, right?"

"Yeah, we are. Thanks Henrietta, Rico." Triela expressed her sincere gratitude.

They were the cyborgs of the SWA. Despite their diverse backgrounds, they were sisters in all but name. Thrown towards an existence that was constantly on the very edge of life and death, they could at least rely on each other.

That fact made their dark lives a small bit brighter.

* * *

Harriet stared at her ceiling for a long time after she had woken from Henrietta's touching moment. Similarity to her recent experience with Danica aside, there was one thing that really stood out to Harriet that she just couldn't get over.

"Great. Now I'm dreaming about Mimi being taken into protective custody by the SWA," Harriet remarked bitterly as she berated herself for even having such a stupid dream. It didn't even get Mimi's last name right!

"Now I _know_ I'm going crazy. Mimi meeting cyborgs? What are the odds?"

* * *

"Well I've signed the papers, but you're being quite vague about who you all are, and who's going to be protecting me," Mimi said as she reclined into the sofa, feeling a bit irritated at having been spirited all the way from her home in Sicily to a safe house in Naples

"All will be revealed in due time, Ms Michiavelli." The man who introduced himself as Hillshire answered.

"The Gandor family were protecting me just fine."

"Trust me, any protection they may be able to give you pales in comparison towhat we provide. Your father can attest to that." Hillshire asserted. "Besides, even the Gandor's admit that their control over the Camorra organisation is still tenuous at best. Elements disloyal to them might choose now to act."

In spite of her reservations, Mimi could not dispute Hillshire's reasoning. Luck Gandor had given his word that if her father chose to testify, he would make sure she came to no harm. However the American and his faction were having a tough enough time trying to solidify their hold on the Camorra. With the trial coming to a head, the former loyalists would surely act out. The Gandors had a hard enough time securing the island, trying to protect Mimi might tax their resources too far.

Although these people hadn't been forthcoming with the details, Mimi could see that whoever her new protectors were, these men knew what they were doing. Plus, her father had apparently personally approached them for help. Considering how much respect Mimi had for her father, this carried more weight than anything else.

The safe house they had provided in Naples was comfortable enough. Someone had stocked with a variety of things they thought a fifteen year old would want. Except of course, Mimi didn't read classic literature, played string instruments, have tea parties... aside from that one TV set, someone was sure out of touch with the tastes of a modern girl. More annoyingly they restricted Mimi's movements immensely by confining her to that one safe house. Mimi would made it a point to try and get around _that_ later.

And she did so miss her bear collection.

"So who's this 'personal' bodyguard detail you've assigned to me?" Mimi asked. "They must really be something if I had to sign a confidentiality agreement to get them."

"You have no idea," Hillshire said proudly as two young girls in long coats stepped through the door. "There they are. Triela, Elsa, introduce yourselves."

It took a few moments for Mimi to properly comprehend who she was looking at. When she did, Mimi's only response was to open her mouth in a silent scream.

The bloind haired girl in a grey coat held out a hand in greeting.

"Hello, my name is Triela Hartmann. I'm the first person on your guard detail. My stoic colleague in green here is the second. You can call her Elsa de Sica, or Elsa for short. It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Michiavelli."

* * *

_To be continued..._


	5. Crossing Over

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

The Gandors (Cameo) are from Baccano!, created by Ryohgo Narita

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 05: Crossing Over**

* * *

"You know, I expected Maria to be a lot more friendly," Triela complained to Hillshire over lunch after their shift was over. "Her profile said she was supposed to be a real hell-raiser. Instead, she's been as meek as a mouse. I had to prod her quite a bit to get her talking. I know I'm a cyborg, but I can't be that scary!"

"You are a rather imposing person, Triela." Hillshire chuckled. "Besides, if I so recall, when you did start her talking, she started quizzing you about your love life."

"Urg, don't remind me. Well, I suppose it doesn't help that Elsa keeps glaring at her like a piece of meat all the time. Maria's going to get the impression we cyborgs are either sexually frustrated teenage girls, or crazed murder machines by the end of this!" Triela sighed, completely forgetting that Elsa de Sica did very much fit the description of a 'crazed murder machine', while Triela herself happened to have very conflicted feelings about her handler. Hillshire could only shake his head with bemusement at his partner's antics.

While she had been hesitant at first, because of her inexperience with 'normal' civilians her age, Triela's natural curiosity about Mario's daughter had prompted the cyborg to speak out. Although it was awkward at first, due Maria's initial wariness about her protectors and Triela's inability to relate to a normal girl, the two had, in time, managed to settle on a kind of friendship in the past few days. Triela did wish Maria wouldn't keep asking about Hillshire though, for that was one topic she had no idea how to answer.

"And where the heck is Lauro? It's one thing to treat Elsa like crap all the time, but it's another to leave her completely unsupervised. Did you know she cleans her rifle in full view of Maria? It's freaking everyone out! Heck, Priscilla almost had a heart attack the first time Elsa did it!"

Hillshire scowled, feeling nothing but disgust at Lauro. The Elsa-Lauro team's dynamic was the polar opposite of their relationship. The mercenary never thought of Elsa as anything more than a disposable tool, and Elsa simply lapped the abuse up like a starved dog. For someone like Hillshire, who had sacrificed everything for his partner and surrogate daughter, Lauro's behaviour was sickening.

Triela had previously remarked it was a bloody miracle that each day passed without Elsa doing something drastic. Hillshire would have agreed with that sentiment, but honestly Elsa's 'devotion' to Lauro was rock solid. He wasn't even sure if Triela's well intentioned attempts to reach out to Elsa were such a good idea either. As much as Hillshire hated to admit it, those Lauro and Elsa were perfect for each other.

"By the way, Hillshire, Do you know of anyone named 'Henrietta' on our staff?" Triela asked. "Mimi was asking if I knew anyone by that name. I wonder why she seemed surprised when I told her I didn't."

"That's a strange question. I don't know anyone by that name either." Hillshire replied. While the name Henrietta was not that uncommon, Hillshire knew he would have remembered someone with a name like that.

"That's what I thought." Triela nodded in agreement. "I wonder what brought that on then."

* * *

If there was any proof Henrietta existed, her, latest dream and a certain news article indicated that Harriet would probably be getting it very soon.

"Former Camorra bosses sentenced to life imprisonment," Harriet read off the front page headline of the day's paper as she ate her breakfast.

"You think that's the one Mimi was taken into protective custody for? The one which her father or mother is testifying in?" Danica asked from across the table.

"Probably."

This was it. If her dreams were anything to go by, then this was the mess Henrietta was currently involved in. In her more recent dreams Henrietta was part of Mimi's guard detail, and just last night she remembered there was an incident where Mimi had tried to escape that lead to a bit of a tussle. This might be the break Harriet was waiting for.

Wither that, or she was getting even more delusional in thinking her dreams were reflections of present events.

It had been a week since Mimi's departure, and thanks to Danica's unknowing help, Harriet had calmed down somewhat. She'd realized there was no use panicking over her possible delusions until she received definitive proof, and had instead gone about her life as usual, albeit this time, keeping out a keen eye in case something of interest caught her eye.

Like in this news article, for instance.

Harriet sipped her morning coffee, her mind already envisioning possible outcomes of Mimi's return. Well, she would know for sure whether she needed psychiatric help very soon.

Mimi had better be okay.

* * *

Maria Michiavelli was not okay.

In fact she was seriously freaked out. Understandable, considering that it was not every day that your best friend's deluded conspiracy theory turned out to be completely true. It certainly did not help that this odd girl in green was cleaning a very deadly looking assault rifle in front of her.

Unfortunately, Alphonso, the other person on the shift, had left the room to go buy Mimi some pretzels, leaving Mimi alone with the frosty blonde assassin.

Despite being far younger than Triela, Mimi found Elsa was many times more intimidating.

Mimi recalled Harriet had told her that most of the cyborgs were generally nice individuals, at least right up until the shooting started. Triela seemed to lend credence to that theory. Elsa, on the other hand, was like a terminator, ice cold and always ready to kill. However, it could just be that Elsa was unused to dealing with 'normal people', and her constant gun cleaning was a way to distract herself.

Not wanting to be a stranger, Mimi decided to act. "So... you're a cyborg. Are you okay with the life you have?"

"Yes."

Well that was quick. "You sure? I mean, I talked with Triela a while ago, and she did have a few issues regarding her relationship with Hillshire. That, and she mentioned that the girls in her dorm sometimes do stupid things. Like mistaking 'Jackass the Movie' for a training video or something."

"This has nothing to do with me. And Rico is was an idiot."

"You don't seem as friendly as Triela, Elsa." Mimi frowned. Not once had Elsa even taken her eyes off that gun or even looked at her.

"Triela is an idiot," Elsa stated plainly.

Mimi turned away to hide her disapproval of Elsa's choice in words. Maybe Elsa didn't like Triela, but even so, that was no way to speak the older cyborg or her colleagues. This was especially so in that Triela seemed so well regarded by everyone else Maria had met.

"You know, you really shouldn't speak about your friends that way. That's being anti-social."

"I don't need them. I just need my handler. It's not something you could ever understand," Elsa retorted coldly.

Mimi had the urge to gag. What an ice bitch! Elsa may look like a twelve year old, but she was about as bitchy as they came. Elsa was seriously rubbing Mimi the wrong way. "Funny, I don't see your handler anywhere." Mimi smirked. "Hillshire and Triela seem to go everywhere together, and from what everyone's told me so far, they're practically joined at the hip."

"Lauro doesn't need to be by my side. He knows I can take care of myself."

"Are you jealous of Triela?"

That was what got a reaction out of Elsa, who actually paused in the cleaning of her gun. "Why would I be? Lauro is my partner," Elsa stated in a matter of fact tone. "You had best not pursue this line of questioning, _girl_."

Despite the niggling sensation in the back of her neck telling her that this was a bad idea, finally getting a reaction out of the ice queen was exciting in Mimi's opinion. "You are, aren't you?"

"You are annoying. Shut up," Elsa hissed.

"You're jealous because Triela and Hillshire have such a good relationship. I can tell that they're practically family," Mimi sing-songed at the scowling cyborg. Had she not been so caught up in her excitement at finally hitting Elsa's sore spot, Mimi would have realized just how much of a bad idea this was.

"Quiet."

"And if I hazard a guess, all the other 'Fatellos' are the same. Hence the name 'Fatello'. Their 'handlers' stay with their 'cyborgs' to train them and nurture them. If that's the case, where's yours?"

That was the last straw. Elsa jumped to her feet, sending her chair to the wall with a crash. "I said shut up, shut up, shut up! No one has what I have with Lauro!"

Mimi had only a millisecond to realise she had gone too far, before Elsa, fury distorting her features, snapped around and levelled her gun at Mimi's face.

* * *

"I didn't think Pygmalion's legend was actually so influential," Julius said happily as he flipped through Harriet's research on their project. "Between you and me, we have a tonne of research material now!

The two partners had chosen to meet in the library during lunch break to go over their preliminary findings on the topic. Whereas Harriet went to find out what kind of influence Pygmalion had made on modern literature, Julius had done some preliminary research into how the telling of myth had changed over time.

"It's one of the classic love stories," Harriet explained as she paged through her research. "I have a whole list of musicals, plays, books, all based in some way of the other on it. I had no idea it was this well known until today. Remember 'Pinocchio'? This is going to be one incredible report, I can feel it!"

"And to think that everybody else is doing the twelve labours of Hercules." Julius rolled his eyes with a grin.

Pygmalion was the story of a talent sculptor who once crafted an ivory statue so beautiful he fell in love with it. So earnest was his feelings for the statue that eventually the goddess Venus changed the statue into a human and allowed the two to wed.

"...and in the love of Pygmalion moved the gods so much that they brought the statue to life," Harriet finished her summary. "Like I said, it's where the tale of a man loving his creation like family came from."

"That's a very nice ending to the story."

"Not for every interpretation though," Harriet noted. "There are some later interpretations where the statue was cold and unfeeling after she was given life. In some severe retellings, she even leaves him for good, sometimes for another man."

"That's... actually rather sad," Julius muttered. "I like the idea of a stone hard person becoming more human because of another's love."

"I didn't think you one for fluffy romance, Julius," Harriet teased, eliciting a blush from her partner. "But I suppose that's one way it could be interpreted." Harriet scribbled Julius's comments down on her notes. "Say Julius, which retelling of Pygmalion do you like better? The one where she leaves him or she stays?"

"The one where she stays, obviously," Julius said, then looked very thoughtful. "Although from a certain point of view, I think the one where she leaves might be poetic."

"Why is that?"

"Well, from a contemporary person's point of view, Pygmalion might seem crazy. His 'love' might come off as obsession instead of actual affection. If that's the case, wouldn't it seem poetic that his statue becomes cold and callous when she came to life? If it was his feelings were the source of the magic that gave her life, wouldn't his lack genuine feelings carry over?"

Harriet folded her arms and gave Julius' words some thought. "Yeah, you may have a point there, except I think it's more likely that if someone like that 'imprinted' on the statue, she'd be a total psycho, like him."

* * *

Lucky for Mimi, Triela and Hillshire had been eating at the cafe below the safe house. The noise of Mimi falling out of the chair screaming was picked up by Triela's sensitive ears. Triela reacted instantly, bolting out of her chair and sprinting back upstairs.

"_Elsa what the __**Hell **__do you think you're doing_?" Triela screamed as she burst into her room with her weapons drawn. Having heard Elsa snap from outside, Triela reacted with her enhanced speed only to find her worst fears confirmed.

Mimi had fallen off of the sofa and was cowering on the floor. Elsa was standing over the teenager with her SIG-550 levelled at the girls face in a one-handed grip. It was about as bad as having three dozen mafia hit-men swarming the room; at least in that case it wasn't a cyborg one heartbeat from going rogue.

"She was questioning my devotion to Lauro." Elsa didn't even look at the other cyborg and continued glaring at Mimi.

"Questioning your... what is wrong with you Elsa?" Triela hissed angrily as she tightened her finger on the trigger just a fraction. "She's just curious about us! You didn't have to pull a gun on her! Get away from Mimi, now!"

"Fine. My safety is _on_, Triela," Elsa retorted, finally relaxing her stance and showing Triela her weapon. "She is the principal. I would fail my mission if any harm were to come to her."

Triela flashed across the room and snatched the rifle out of Elsa's grip. The older cyborg quickly ejected the magazine and the round in the chamber before making absolutely sure the safety was on. "I'm taking over the watch. Get out of here."

"I was just leaving," Elsa shot back, snatching her weapon from Triela's hands. The blonde gathered her equipment and strode straight out the door, just as Hillshire was coming in having fallen behind his cyborg. Elsa and Hillshire shared a cold look between them before she pushed past him into the corridor.

Making sure Elsa had gone, Hillshire went into the room where he saw Triela was quickly checking Mimi over for signs of shock. "Triela? Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Don't worry, I handled it," Triela said, breathing a sigh of relief before becoming dead serious. "Hillshire, she pulled a gun on _the principal_. That girl is unstable."

"It will be in my report, trust me on that," Hillshire agreed with equal severity before turning to Mimi, who was still on the floor. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Mimi cut in with more confidence than she felt she had. Pushing herself off the floor while fending off Triela's offering hand, so as to prove her point, Mimi dusted herself off and stood on her feet. "See? Just dandy."

"You sure?" Triela asked sceptically.

"I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"That was a pretty stupid move, provoking her like that," Hillshire pointed out. He couldn't hide the sheer relief creeping into his voice. That was too close for comfort. If Elsa had followed through on her threat, there was no way either of them would be able to look Mario in the eye ever again.

Mimi stuck her tongue out. "I think that was pretty obvious. Sorry about that."

Triela felt their respect for the teenager go up a notch. They could tell she was pretty shaken up by the experience, however Maria had bounced back astonishingly quickly. That girl had some guts. "Don't sweat it. Elsa's always been a bit... off. We're not all as crazy as her," Triela explained as she cast an angry look at the open door Elsa had left through. "Trust me, that head-case is something else entirely."

"Triela, keep Mimi company. Let Alphonso know what happened when he gets back. I am going to have... a word... with Lauro." Hillshire pivoted on his foot and stalked off angrily.

Triela turned back to Mimi. Even though Mimi was acting strong, the poor girl was probably still frightened. With this in mind, Triela and quickly struck up a conversation to take Mimi's mind off the event. "Tell you what, how about you tell me about your teddy bear collection you mentioned yesterday? I have one of my own, you know..."

* * *

"Thanks for dropping me off at school," Mimi said as she stepped out of the small minivan.

"It was our pleasure meeting Ms. Michiavelli, although I would have thought that you would want to go home first. I'm sure the academic staff wouldn't mind you taking another day off, " Hillshire observed. They were parked just outside the main gates of the school, well before the first period was to begin. Maria must have incredible courage to go straight back to her normal life after that ordeal.

Of course, Hillshire didn't know she actually wanted to be there for her own reasons. It was about this time their girls soccer time was having their morning practice session, and Mimi knew that certain someone was definitely going to be there.

"It was very nice meeting you, Mimi. However, I think you'll forgive me if I ask we not meet again," Triela jested from the passenger side seat. "Trouble tends to have a way of following people like me around."

"Yes, I can see that."

"But seriously, Mimi, it's been a real pleasure," Triela gave a genuine smile. Mimi was probably the first non-cyborg friend Triela had made and probably ever would have. "Stay safe, you hear?"

"I will, Triela. Goodbye, Mr. Hillshire. Goodbye, Triela."

Mimi waved goodbye as Hillshire shifted to drive and moved the SUV out of the parking lot, probably never to see each other again, just as a gaggle of schoolgirls circled near the car on their morning jog.

"Triela?"

It came out as almost a whisper, and was some distance away, but her enhanced hearing ensured that Triela heard it. Triela's head snapped around to the window at the sound of her name being spoken by an unfamiliar voice.

The cyborg caught sight of one of the girls who was running around the edge of the field having stopped cold. The brunette girl in a blue tracksuit was staring _right at Triela_ as the SUV moved past, mouth agape.

Then, before Triela could catch anything more than that, the car turned the corner and the girl dropped out of view.

"Is there something wrong?" Hillshire asked Triela, while keeping his eyes on the road.

"There was a girl back there. I could have sworn that girl whispered my name."

"Don't be ridiculous, Triela. We've only been to Sicily twice. Nobody here knows who we are."

Triela gave some thought to Hillshire's words and decided he was right. "Yeah, you're probably right. I haven't been on my game recently," Triela agreed. Her loss at Pinocchio's hands must have shaken her more than she'd thought. Hillshire was right, it was probably nothing.

* * *

As soon as Hillshire and Triela were out of sight, Mimi made a straight beeline for Harriet, who was standing shell shocked at the edge of the track field. Harriet had barely just arrived in school for morning practice, and then this happened!

"Please tell me you saw that," Mimi said in the most serious tone of voice Harriet had ever heard her with.

"I did." Harriet tried to keep her voice steady.

"Then you know that we really need to talk. Like right now."

"I think we do," Harriet agreed shakily.

"Skip school?"

"Skip school."

* * *

Priscilla, the ever perky intelligence officer of the SWA, was just about to call it a day when she caught sight of one very familiar schoolgirl running right back out of the school gates. Right behind said schoolgirl was a brunette in a blue tracksuit.

Neither one of those two girls looked very composed.

"Ohhhh, boy. This can't be good." Priscilla whistled.

It looked like the Maria Michiavelli affair was not over, just yet.

* * *

For once in her life, Harriet was skipping school on purpose. Considering the disaster that she and Mimi had stumbled onto, missing classes was pretty much small potatoes.

"It's all real. My god, it's all real!" Harriet kept saying to herself as she paced around Mimi's apartment in a futile attempt at calming herself. "My god, it's all real. How is this possible?"

"You're asking me?" Mimi exclaimed. Now that she was far, far from the reach of the SWA, at least in her view, Mimi had finally absorbed the full implications of what she'd just experienced. In other words, she was just as frightened as her friend.

"It was rhetorical!"

In the past week, Harriet had mentally prepared herself for what could happen if Mimi came home. Harriet promised herself that if Mimi came back without any word about the SWA's existence, she would come clean, on her own will, to Danica and her family and get proper psychiatric help. If Mimi came back with evidence they were real, she and Mimi would consider their options in a proper, discreet and calm manner.

That all went flying out the window when she saw Triela Hartmann in person.

What did it feel like to know that you had somehow unearthed an immense conspiracy involving a government black operations agency who used methods illegal under every law imaginable to carry out political killings though a little luck and a series of stupid dreams?

Harriet had the answer, and that answer was 'shit scared'.

The Social Welfare Agency was real. Their war against the Five Republics was happening as she breathed. All the people in her dreams, Giuseppe, Jean, Hillshire, Rico, Triela, Claes, Angelica, Lorenzo, they were all real! Harriet had even seen one of their missions in her dream, involving her best friend, whose father happened to be an ex-mafia boss!

She was so in over her head!

She even looked right into Triela's...

Harriet's eyes widened as she realized the incredible mistake she and Mimi had made in their haste. "Oh shit. We met right after Hillshire and Triela dropped you off, and I locked eyes with her. And that's not even counting the other people we didn't see. _They know about me_! Shit, shit, SHIT!"

In all the time Mimi known her friend, Harriet had never been one to use vulgar language. This, though, was probably the appropriate time to get into the habit. "Harriet, calm down, Hillshire and Triela just left, and I didn't see any follow us. We should be alright."

Harriet just stared at her friend in disbelief. Mimi couldn't believe that the SWA would be so casual to let someone who knew about them go on with their lives without keeping tabs on her, did she? Harriet had some very disturbing firsthand memories of the things the SWA were capable of. There was no doubt in her mind that they were probably trying to ID her at that very moment!

"They're professional secret service, Mimi. You don't know what I've seen them do! They probably know you met me right after we left!" Harriet hyperventilated as she realized the blunder they'd made in their carelessness. "We are so **fucked**!"

"It can't be that bad?"

"They'll send cyborgs after me, Mimi! I know about them. Heck, I don't need to know about them, they just need to suspect I do for them to have a reason to silence me!" Harriet wailed, in her terror. "I can't fight a cyborg, I'm a regular girl! What if they send Triela? Rico? What if they send Henrietta?"

Mimi blinked as she suddenly remembered that particular issue. Despite all the craziness that was now turning their lives into the biggest catastrophe there ever was, that issue was the crux of everything that had happened. "Harriet, there's something you need to know."

"I know too much, that's the problem!" Harriet began giggling incoherently. She was starting to lose it. Harriet reached into her pockets and fumbled wildly for her cellphone. "I-I-I have to call Danica. I have to tell her to run, hide, go to ground. They might mistake her for me. Shit, what do I do?"

"Harriet, this is important!"

"Wait, if Henrietta shows up, I might even see myself die! That would be total bullsh-"

"Henrietta, doesn't exist!" Mimi shouted at the top of her voice.

Harriet was startled out of her rant. "...what did you just say?"

"Harriet, let me repeat what I just said." Mimi shakily looked Harriet square in the eye. "Everything you told me about the Social Welfare Agency, the people, the cyborgs, _everything_, is true. Except one thing."

Eyes wide in fear, Harriet could only speak one simple word and brace herself for Mimi's revelation. "What?"

"Harriet, in real life there is _no girl named Henrietta_."

The silence that consumed the room was deafening.

"She doesn't...?"

"No. I met Triela and Hillshire. They were exactly as you described them. However, I asked them about Henrietta, and they've never heard of her."

"She might by lying."Harriet reasoned.

Mimi shook her head regretfully. "I don't think she was. Triela was very forthcoming on information about the other girls in her dorm, when I asked about her friends. Rico, Claes, Angelica... Kiki." Mimi closed her eyes as she tried to calm herself. "Harriet, she told me about all of them, but she never once mention a girl named Henrietta. The girl in your dreams doesn't exist."

"But... if that's the case... Mimi, everything I know about them is from her eyes." Harriet held her head in her hands and fell to her knees. What was happening to her? "How can I be wrong? I-I know these things, Mimi. How can I be right about everything else and not her?"

Mimi crouched down to Harriet's level and hugged her friend. "I know. And you're right about everything. But Henrietta doesn't just doesn't exist. I'm sorry."

"But, what could this mean?" Harriet breathed.

Mimi could only sit beside her friend and wonder the very same thing.

* * *

"Hello, Jean. I just got Priscilla's surveillance report on Michiavelli."

"Ah, you read that too, Harrick? You must have, it's the talk of the agency. Right after Hillshire dropped her off, Maria met with some girl and took off. We're trying to decide if Maria said anything about us or not to her friend, and whether we need to silence this other girl. Ought to teach Michiavelli a lesson about talking if we silence her friends, I think."

"Jean, you do realize that girl Maria met is _my sister_, right?"

"..."

"..."

"...**what**?"

* * *

_To Be Continued_


	6. Henrietta's Fury

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

The Gandors (Cameo) are from Baccano!, created by Ryohgo Narita

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 06: Henrietta's Fury**

* * *

"AHHHHH!"

"Look at you now, Colonel. Not so high and mighty, are you?" laughed a mocking voice. It was followed shortly by another scream, with the sound of flesh meeting something hard.

Harriet bit back tears as she dragged her blubbering sister up the stairs, away from the screams of their father and mother being tortured in the living room below. It was supposed to be a nice Christmas Eve dinner for their family. Harrick and Olivia had yet to arrive, and they were just setting up when five armed men busted into their home.

If it wasn't for the fact that she and Danica were in another room as their father tried, and failed, to fight the men off, they would have been in that living room with their parents. Danica had gone stiff in fright, forcing Harriet to take charge.

"The great Colonel Leonard Vinci and his beautiful wife, begging for their lives. That should teach you to stand up against our great leader, Giacomo Dante! Eat this you government dog!" Another scream, followed by a chorus of sadistic laughter.

Biting back her tears, Harriet pulled her sister into the master bedroom and pulled the door shut behind them as soundlessly as she could. Harriet's head scanned the room for options, finally setting on the large cupboard in the corner. "We'll hide here." Harriet whispered, quickly pulling her sister and herself in and closing the door behind them.

If they were lucky, they could huddle together and wait until Harrick and Olivia arrived. Olivia always carried a gun on her person as part of her personal policy, so she should be able to fight those monsters off. Danica looked at her sister with terrified eyes. While she was just as frightened as Danica, Harriet put on a strong face and nodded reassuringly. "We're going to be okay, Dani. Trust-"

"I'm checking the master bedroom," A voice announced from outside, causing both girls to take sharp intakes of breadth. Oh god, one of those hooligans was in the master bedroom with them! Harriet bit her lip and cupped Danica's mouth as they tried to say silent.

"Hurry up, Thomas. Our watch said that police woman is almost here! I don't fancy a fight with that government whore without some leverage!"

Everything turned out alright. Olivia and Harrick came home later, fought the ruffians off and saved their parents. She and Danica were hidden in the panic room in the basement, where they were safe. Dr. Fiona Vinci would never use her legs again and Leonard Vinci lost an arm but in the end everything turned out alright.

Everything turned out alright.

Wait, didn't she take Danica down into the panic room in the basement, not run upstairs into the master bedroom?

"Never mind, forget the girls. Just get down here. We gotta set up the ambush now!"

"Coming, I'm coming, I'm-"

Then Danica sneezed.

Both sisters looked each other in disbelief. It was so random, so out of left field. And yet that once action could just have sealed their fates.

"What's this? Now what do we have here?" Suddenly the door flew open, and Harriet and Danica came face to face with a vicious looking young man with a knife. The man smiled. "Hello, little girls."

Harriet screamed.

* * *

Harriet screamed as she bolted up in bed.

Patting herself down, as if to assure herself she was still alive, Harriet took deep gasps of breath and tried to steady her frayed nerves. This was the first time she'd dreamed of something other than Henrietta. She'd dreamed of her own past, and it was one part she never wished to relive ever again.

Unlike her sister, Harriet had never once dreamed of that incident where her family had almost been killed, because of her dreams about Henrietta.

Harriet had taken Danica to the panic room that horrible night, not a cupboard. It had not happened that way. After her scream, Harriet's dream had become a blur. She remembered flashes of she and her sister being taken downstairs to where their parents were. There was a lot of begging, pleading, followed by pain.

And then Olivia and Harrick came home. She remembered being used as a human shield, preventing her siblings from fighting back. Harriet remembered seeing them go down in a shower of blood. Sinister laughing, terrified screaming, blood, pain, Danica howling out in pain, pleading for forgiveness...

Her last coherent memory was lying in a pool of blood on the floor staring at her family's unmoving bodies, wishing that the nightmare could just end. Then Harriet felt her broken body being picked up off the floor and being carried to a bedroom.

And what happened after that...

Harriet felt the bile rising in her throat as what she'd just witnessed fully sunk in. Cupping her mouth, Harriet sprinted out of her room, down the hallway and into the bathroom, just in time to vomit into the sink. Good lord, what they did to her, it was horrible! If _any_ of that really happened, Harriet knew she would want to die!

"Harriet, izzat you?" Danica's head poked out of her room, clearly having been woken up by Harrit's frantic dash. "It's four in the morning. What you doin'?"

"Constipating, Danica," Harriet called back to her sister before quickly shutting the bathroom door behind her. Danica should never know about what she'd just experienced.

"Ew! Gross, sis!" Danica exclaimed, followed by the sound of a door slamming shut. Even as distraught as she was, Harriet didn't resist the urge to smirk. So predictable.

"Why now? Why did I dream that now?" Harriet wondered, wishing she had answers to the mess that had become her life.

* * *

"Are you sure they're gone?"

"_Most of them. Just the blonde in the grey coat and the German remain. Better act fast, though. It looks like a whole bunch of them are coming down to Sicily."_

"Damn. Okay Claude, this may be our best chance yet. Get the _all_ theboys together; we're going to make our move today, Gandors be damned! Tony out." Tony snapped his cell phone shut. Now this is what they paid police informants for. Their patience was just about to pay of!

Maria Michiavelli had been guarded around the clock by those government monsters. It had been impossible for them to even shake a fist in her direction without having been pumped full of lead. Now that the majority of her security detail was gone, that was another story entirely.

Walking to the boot of his trunk, Tony fished out an Ak-47 and snapped a magazine in. The trial may be over, but those that remembered Mario Bossi's role in the downfall of their leaders would not relent so easily.

The time for vengeance had come.

* * *

Although Harriet had repeatedly warned Mimi, yesterday, that her place was no longer safe, Mimi had stubbornly refused to move into a motel. Although Mimi did accept the possibility that the SWA knew about her meeting with Harriet, Mimi seriously doubted that they would respond so quickly.

Besides, Mimi reasoned that if the SWA knew about them, and was as good as they said, there was no point in evading their grasp. 'Just woman up and take it' Mimi half half-hearteningly, joked.

Harriet, despite her reservations, had finally come around to Mimi point of view. Their current game plan was to call Harriet's brother, Harrick, and pray like the condemned on death row that the man could somehow help them.

And so it was, on that fine morning, just as she was eating breakfast, Mimi got a very interesting visitor at her door. "Hello again, Ms Michiavelli," Hillshire said grimly at the front door before the teenager.

Mimi stared at Hillshire for about ten seconds as if debating what to say next. She then summed up her entire situation in a single sentence.

"Wow, you guys work fast."

* * *

"It was so nice of you to make sure Mimi was okay yesterday," Danica praised her sister happily as the they walked together, with Rowena, to school. "I mean, after that whole trial and worrying about her father, she must be having a hard time."

"Well that is nice and everything, but did you have to _skip practice _as well?" Rowena complained, as she walked in front of them. "It's bad enough you got ill the other day. Start taking things seriously again Harriet, or you'll start to slip."

"Rowena, Harriet's going to be in enough trouble with the teachers as it is. She doesn't need to have you lecture her for something as trivial as soccer practice," Danica fired back.

"Don't take the national sport so lightly. Like you'd even know what a real sport is, you couch potato!" Rowena challenged. "It's always StarCraft this. WarCraft that. And you even pasted posters all over my changing room for some DoTA competition! What does DoTA even mean? You anime club people need to get a life!"

"FYI, DoTA stands for Defence of the Ancients! And StarCraft IS a real sport! Move into the twenty first century, _**Neanderthal**_!"

"Only in Korea, space cadet!"

The two girls mashed their foreheads against each other and glared at each other at point blank range with gritted teeth. Oh, it was _on_.

Harriet had deliberately invited Rowena along for a reason, but she couldn't help but feel amused at the two's antics. It was a well known rule in their school never to have the president of the anime club and the captain of the girls' soccer team in the same room, lest you invite the apocalypse.

Knee deep in trouble as she was, Harriet felt laugh therapy was the order of the day as her sister fought one of her best friends.

"Ahem!" Harriet, Rowena and Danica turned around to see someone behind them. "Sorry to barge in on your little chat. Hello there, I'm looking for the _Buena Serra_ restaurant," Triela, clothed in her usual outfit of a suit and coat, asked happily with her arms spread wide. "Could any of you girls help me with directions? I'm supposed to go there and meet my father."

Harriet rolled her eyes. Well, Triela and Hillshire fratello sure took their time. If it were Jean or Marco, Harriet was certain they would have accosted her before she'd even left the school _yesterday_.

"I'm very, very lost, so could you help me out, here?" Triela grinned as she strode up to them. However happy and unassuming she was on the outside, Harriet's knowledge of the cyborg, via Henrietta's memories, in fact told her Triela was probably very, very annoyed at that moment. Triela probably planned and storming right up to Harriet on Danica and accosting them at bayonet point.

And that was the real reason why Harriet had wanted to bring Rowena along. No way could any SWA agent act out openly as long as there was a civilian witness. Of course, this might backfire, and they could just snatch Rowena up too, but that was a chance Harriet had to take. There was every likelyhood that they might either mistake Danica for her and abduct her sister, or believe that she'd told Dani and abduct her sister anyway.

"Well, it's not too far from here." Danica informed the stranger 'helpfully' motioning with her arms with hugely exaggerated movements.

"Just go down this road, take the left at the end, second path on the right then go straight on until you hit the beach walk. Follow it down, until you see the fourth lifeguard post, where you need to take another left, then two rights that will take you under a bridge, which you will have to take a left up some stairs to get across.

"After that, it's really easy that point onwards. Just go up a flight of steps into the market. The signage should make it stick out like a sore thumb, unless you approach from the east, where the hot air balloons from the pancake shop will block your view, but you shouldn't with the directions.

"Easy right?"

Harriet palmed her face. Stop making it so easy for Triela, Dani!

"Did... anyone even get half of that?" Triela genuinely had a genuinely perplexed look on her face. Rowena was howling with laughter at her archenemy's idiotic spiel. Danica was such a putz, sometimes. "You know what, could you guys take me there? That was truly undecipherable."

And there it was. Harriet knew how the rest of it would play out. Triela would convince Danica and Harriet would lead her to the restaurant before accosting them and revealing her true identity. Amateurish, but probably the best Triela could come up with on short notice. Considering it was used against middle schoolers, it would have worked too.

Just not today.

Having manoeuvred next to Triela, Harriet pretended to trip and spilled the open contents of her bag over the pavement. Notebooks were scattered all over the floor, and loose papers and notes went flying everywhere. "Harriet!" Danica cried in surprise.

"Sorry, tripped," Harriet exclaimed, dropping to her knees and gathering up her stuff.

"Oh sorry, let me help you." Triela swallowed the bait, going on all fours to help Harriet gather the slipped documents, just as Harriet knew the cyborg would. As soon as Triela was close enough, Harriet moved her mouth right up to Triela's ear.

What she said to Triela caused the cyborg to pause in surprise.

"Triela, my sister doesn't know anything. I swear I'm telling the truth. I'll come with you. Just please, please, leave Danica out of this." Harriet pleaded softly into Triela's ear. Triela moved her head just enough to look Harriet face to face, without drawing attention. "Please, Triela," Harriet mouthed.

It was a gamble, but Harriet really only had a day to come up with this harebrained contingency plan if the SWA arrested her before she could call Harrick. It was full of holes and would probably fail against anyone else, but Triela was probably the only cyborg Harriet had even the vaguest chance of trying to reason with in this manner. Please, please let her appeal to Triela's compassion get the better of her.

Triela turned away and quickly finished scooping up Harriet's belongings and dropping them in her bag. "There, all gathered up."

"Thank you very much Miss..." Harriet held out a hand.

It was then, perceptible to no one else but Harriet, Triela stiffened. The blonde had probably realized that she'd never given Harriet her name before, and was wondering why the brunette had known it. "I'm Triela, Triela Hartmann." Triela said, accepting Harriet's handshake.

"Danica, Rowena, I'll take Triela to the restaurant," Harriet announced to her companions.

Rowena cocked an eyebrow. "You sure? You'll miss out on morning practice. Again," The soccer captain was promptly elbowed in the ribcage by Danica.

"Of course she's sure!" Danica declared, before giving Harriet an approving thumb up. "Vinci honour and all th-"

Danica was interrupted mid sentence when Rowena tackled her. And so it was that Triela was left standing, mouth agape, as she witnessed her first ever catfight between two middle school girls. Harriet sighed and gently led Triela way from that mess.

"I don't know normal people as much as I thought I did," Triela muttered in a daze, when they were finally out of sight of the fighting females.

"Thank you," Harriet said solemnly.

"I wouldn't thank me just yet Ms. Vinci." Triela said evenly. "We're going to have a very loooong talk... Er, do we really have to do all that to get to that restaurant?"

"Nope. Just take the next left and you'll see it."

"... then where the hell did that long-winded spiel come from?"

"Danica's my sister," Harriet replied, as if that was the end all arguments.

* * *

"You know, the only reason we haven't killed you yet, Ms. Vinci, is because we haven't found it necessary to do so yet," Hillshire explained slowly as he paced around the safe house. "And you, Ms. Michiavelli, signed a binding legal agreement not to tell anyone."

"Ah-ha-ha-ha." Mimi laughed weakly in response.

They had been blindfolded and taken to some room of an unknown location, and left alone for some unspecified time. Harriet and Mimi didn't even try to run. This was the SWA they were dealing with, and running from a cyborg was an exercise in futility. Time to woman up, indeed.

Harriet and Mimi were seated on a pair of wooden chairs in the centre of a mostly barren, four by four room. Triela and Hillshire paced around the two like a pair of sharks circling an island, possibly to intimidate them. As interrogations went, this was pretty mild, considering what Harriet had seen Henrietta take part in.

It was only because she had seen worse that Harriet was able to not break into hysterics.

"Mimi wasn't the one to tell me about the Social Welfare Agency." Harriet said truthfully. "If anything, I was the one who first told her about you. Mimi just met me to discuss it because we were so frightened about what we both knew. Confidants, you know?"

Something Harriet's brother once told her: the best lies are the ones often closest to the truth. Harriet prayed he was right, since Triela was probably listening to her heart rate right now. And she knew firsthand how every single cyborg was potentially a walking, talking, lie detector.

"I find that hard to believe," Triela's voice accused from right behind her, likely fishing for details, since Harriet knew she hadn't lied.

Harriet curled her sweaty palms and forced herself to remain calm. "Maria's not the one with the older brother under your employ."

Hillshire seemed thoughtful about Harriet's admission. "Interesting. Ms. Vinci, just how much do you know?"

Harriet fidgeted in her seat. "... A bit." Mimi was shooting her nervous looks. Harriet was walking a tightrope, and she knew it. One wrong statement and everything would go pear shaped.

"Define 'a bit'," Hillshire prodded.

Harriet rolled her eyes and hoped she knew what she was doing. "Would you much rather I named every single one of Triela's bears then? Should I start with the dwarves, or the roman generals?"

"How did you-?"

"You told her about the bears?" Triela screamed at Mimi, her face flushed with embarrassment. "You know dark secrets about the SWA, and you told her about my bear collection, of all things?"

Mimi could only hold up her hands and shake her head violently. Harriet really did feel pity for poor Mimi. Of course Mimi hadn't told Harriet about the bears, because Harriet had already known about Triela's collection long before Mimi ever did!

"It was just an example." Harriet shrugged. Now she was relying on another thing a sibling had once said to her. When all else fails, 'Take Refuge in Audacity'. Absurdity will take people off balance, and that might give her some breathing room.

Clearly, with the way Triela and Hillshire seemed to be re-evaluating their strategy, Danica wasn't as idiotic as everyone made her out to be.

"Q-Quite." Hillshire noted, regaining his composure. "How long have you known about us?"

Harriet racked her mind to come up with something. Close to the truth, but not quite, she reminded herself. "Quite a few years to be honest, but I've only been absolutely sure about it when I saw Triela that other day. Before that, well, I thought I was going crazy." Triela then pulled Hillshire aside where they held a sort discussion, probably about Harriet's responses to the questioning.

"What are they saying?"

"Quiet, Mimi."

Triela seemed to be making exaggerated gestures with her arms to emphasize her point. Hillshire then nodded his head and returned, partner in how. "My partner is convinced you are telling the truth." Hillshire continued, this time looking more relaxed. "And you seem to be cooperating with us."

"It's not like you're the Five Republics. If you so recall, members of my family _do not _get on well with Padania." Harriet said truthfully. Harriet wagered her disposition against their sworn enemy might help her standing. "If anything, I would think you to be the _good_ guys... except for the, uh, child-assassin-cyborg thing. Which is kind of awkward since my older sister would probably go ape if she found out about you guys."

Triela coughed into her hand, as if to stifle a laugh, while Hillshire relaxed just a faction, further. Harriet snuck a glance at Mimi, who was actually looking at her best friend with awe. Ladies and gents, this is how you pull a fast one.

"So you understand what our problem is, yes?"

Harriet nodded obediently. "I found out about something is shouldn't have. If it's a oath of silence you need me to sign, I'd be happy to do it. Not that there's anyone I can go to anyway. I'd have to be a real idiot to go to the Five R."

Triela and Hillshire just stared at Harriet with guarded looks. "Cross my heart, and hope to die?" Harriet added as an addendum.

To her utter elation, Hillshire seemed satisfied with this! Triela, in fact, was beaming. "Very well, that sounds reasonable. I will make the arrangements for the paperwork. Ms. Michiavelli, sorry to drag you into another problem, but you understand why we did so."

Mimi rubbed the back of head, equally relieved. "No, No, problem at all."

Despite remaining calm on the outside, Harriet was doing mental cartwheels. Harriet knew she lucked out in having the biggest softie alive, one Hillshire of the SWA, be her interrogator, but damn it Harriet had just managed to get clear of a bullet fired by the most dangerous black ops agency in the world!

Three cheers for Harriet! Whoo-hoo!

"You will have to be talking to your brother when he gets down here though, and I'd expect that he'd be getting a real earful when we get back to HQ." Hillshire noted, this time with a smile on his face. YES! CLEAR! "Although I am curious, how did you managed to piece together all you have discovered."

And then the mental victory party came crashing down all around her. Well, crap. Harriet was so focused on her earlier problem, she didn't have a plan for this!

"Er well, that's..."

Then, as providence would have it, the front door exploded forward.

* * *

"Get down!"

Triela reacted immediately by drawing her SIG-Sauer 232-SL, and finding two rounds into doorway, apparently hit something, as there was a shout before the second shot silenced it. Harriet and Mimi threw themselves to the ground. There was a brief exchange of fire, as the kidnapper's breaching team

Three mortal men versus Triela and Hillshire? No contest.

When the dust finally settled, Harriet and Mimi picked themselves off the floor, clearly reeling at the alarming turn of events.

"Roanoa family hit men." Triela announced, as she searched the bodies of the men in the hallway outside. "I can hear more coming up the stairwell. I count half a dozen men, at least. God damn it, there's a small army out there. How'd they get these men past the Gandors?"

"Don't know, don't care. Either way, its' not looking good." Hillshire noted with his own gun drawn. He proceeded purposely to the wall, where he tore open some plaster to reveal a window. "You two, get out this way."

"A hidden exit?" Harriet considered.

"If that one door was the only exist, this room would be a death trap." Hillshire explained.

Mimi ran over and peered out the window, only to discover the sun was setting outside. "Evening already? How long did you guys keep us here anyway?"

"Not now, Mimi," Harriet reprimanded as she pulled herself though the opening. It opened to some steel stairs that wound down four stories into an empty back alley. It wasn't the perfect escape route, but for now, it would just have to do.

"Wait just a moment." Triela said as she quickly walked over and wedged a small, yet heavy metal object in the back of Mimi's trousers, Mexican carry. "It's a SIG Sauer P239, one of my spare pistols. You get cornered, use it to defend yourself."

'I don't know how to use a gun!" Mimi exclaimed.

"You may just have to learn fast," Triela shot back as she raced over to a viola case in the corner of the room and opened it, revealing her signature trench gun.

The sound of approaching footsteps underscored the urgency of their situation.

"Triela, cover the door," Hillshire ordered, which Triela quickly obeyed as she took up position against the open portal. "You two," He motioned, "Get out of here. We'll handle these men."

"You're sure? You're outnumbered." Mimi asked.

Harriet grabbed her friend by the shoulder. "Mimi, Triela and Hillshire are professionals, they can handle this. She could take on two dozen men and still come out on top. Trust me."

Mimi seemed to regard Harriet as she realized that her friend would know better than anyone what Triela was capable of. Nodding her head and, shooting one last look at the two SWA agents who were risking life and limb for them, followed Harriet out the window into the alley.

"Hey Mimi, be careful out there!" Triela called out after at her friend. "And I guess I jinxed our next meeting by being a pessimist, huh?"

* * *

Tony and three other guys were sitting in the safety of a building across the street from the safe house. Scanning the situation with a pair of binoculars, he could see how badly the fight was going for his boys. He told his boys to fight smart, hit and fade. In close quarters, that government freak was likely to tear his men apart in a straight out fight. Did they listen?

No. Now he was going to have to pay for funerals. At least they served their purpose. So why waste tangling with some superhuman, Frankenstein bitch when his goal was elsewhere?

"Boss, are you sure this is plan is gonna work?" Vinnie asked, from the passenger seat. "I maen, the boys are gonna take a pounding in there."

"It's gonna work, Vin. I swear you whine like a goddamn-There she is." Tony smiled in triumph as he saw two figures descend the stairwell on the side of the building into the alley below.

"Whoa boss, remind me not to doubt you again."

"Damn straight, Vin. Now let's get the car, boys. Time to take Mario's girl for a bit of a ride."

* * *

"Didn't the SWA kill the kidnappers when you made that escape attempt when you were in their custody?" Harriet cried as they ran down the back alleys as fast as their legs could carry them.

"What escape attempt? Elsa scared me out of doing _anything_ of the sort!" Mimi managed out in between breadths.

Harriet wanted to slap herself for being so stupid. If Henrietta didn't exist in reality, of course some things were going to be different, like the kidnappers attacking now instead of earlier. "Well, Shit!"

Harriet and Mimi sprinted through the back alleys of Sicily, dodging crates, garbage cans, and other assorted junk that seemed to be lying everywhere. They hadn't a clue where they were, and were running completely blind.

Suddenly, just as they were about to reach an opening, a car screeched to a stop in front of them, blocking the alley. "Oh shit!" Harriet exclaimed, as she ploughed into Mimi in her attempt to stop. Thankfully they managed to remain on their feet, and both girls quickly pivoted around and were about to rush back the way they came, when there was a gunshot that whizzed over head.

"Hello, hello, hello. If it isn't Maria Michiavelli and her young friend." A smug voice taunted from behind them.

Both girls turned around to see four armed men standing around the vehicle. Three held deadly Glock 17s, and their leader was armed with an impressive Ingram submachine gun. In a straight narrow alley, they couldn't run from that!

Mimi's hand went to her waist only to come up empty. She'd dropped the gun Triela gave her when Harriet had crashed into her, which was now lying on the ground right between where the men and they were. "No..." Mimi whispered.

Harriet was also sweating. She wouldn't be able to talk her way out of this. Merely looking at the men already told Harriet they didn't mean for either girl to leave the street alive. Kidnappers? They were assassins!

"So, Ms. Maria. Can I call you Maria? You see, we're here to talk to you about some nasty things your poppa has done to some friends of ours," The leader said, as the men stalked forward to their prey.

Harriet and Mimi backed away slowly, frantically searching for any means of escape. "Luck Gandor has personally promised me his protection," Mimi warned, even as she felt the beads of sweat form on her brow. "You wouldn't want to raise his ire."

"Fuck Gandor." One of the men snorted.

"Maria, Maria, Maria. We don't give two shits about the Gandors." The leader laughed as he held his hands out. "Those damn Americans think they can come here like they own the fucking place. Well, we'll show them. First though, we gotta fuck their friends good."

"W-What do you plan to do to us?" Harriet stuttered.

"Well, I'm pretty sure you can already guess. We need to send a message to Mr. Bossi for screwin with our bosses, see?" The leader grinned the devil's smile, causing a shiver to travel up Harriet's spine. "So we're gonna soil daddy's little girl here, and take some pictures. That's why Nino over there has gone through all the trouble of bringing his digital camera along. Then, once we're done, we're gonna shoot her, and take some pictures of her pretty little corpse, too."

Absolute terror that gripped Harriet as his words sunk in. Dear god, they were going to destroy Mimi! Was there was nothing she could do?

As Harriet was thinking this, Mimi closed her eyes, resigning herself to her fate. "If-If I let you have me, w-will you let my friend go?"

"Mimi, what are you-" Harriet said aghast.

"Shush."

The men all broke into hysterical laughter. "That fine piece of ass? What do you fucking think, lady? We've got a better idea for her. You ever heard of human trafficking? Boy will the Gandors _love_ hearing about someone getting crated off on their watch!"

"Harriet, run!" Mimi roared as she launched herself forward and attempted to grapple one of the thugs. If she was going to die, like hell if she would drag Harriet down with her! It was a futile, if noble, gesture. It was still a fifteen year old girl charging headfirst into a man twice her weight. The thug grabbed her and threw her to the floor. "Run, you fool! Don't let them catch you! RUN!"

Harriet didn't run. There was no way she was going to abandon Mimi! She'd save Mimi or die trying! Gathering her courage, Harriet rushed forward howling a short battle cry... only to have a fist land in her chest with such force she was picked off the ground for a moment and collapsed to the ground where she was kicked in her belly twice.

"Leave her out of this! Harriet!" Mimi's frantic cry seemed so distant.

"Gwah!" Harriet coughed as she lay twitching on the floor, clutching her abdomen where the man had kicked her. Pain flared through her senses. Suddenly, someone slapped her harshly across the face before another person seized her hair and pulled her to face level.

Harriet came eye to eye with the vilest man she had ever seen in her life. "Wait your turn, _princess_," He sneered before he spat in her face and threw her to the ground.

"This one has spunk," One of the men chortled, the most disgusting sound Harriet had ever heard. "Bet she'll fetch a good price for some sick bastard on the black market!"

Harriet was in a whole new world of pain, right now. However even as she moaned hoarsely on the ground, Harriet was certain of one thing; Mimi was going to die. She would suffer a far worse fate. In this dark alley, Harriet Vinci's life, as she knew it, would end, and there wasn't anything she could do to stop it.

All the things she wanted to do... all the things she would be leaving behind...

_Dead, dead, dead. _

Harriet rolled on the ground disoriented. She could barely make out the shapes of the assassins turning around and surrounding Mimi. The sounds she was hearing were muted like she was under water, however Harriet could make out the sounds of... the sound of...

...ripping cloth.

Mimi screamed.

Harriet's every thought process ground to a halt. Her pain disappeared. No. They couldn't mean to... Those, those bastards! They can't... not to Mimi! She wouldn't let them!

Those BASTARDS.

_Mama is dead. _

_Papa is dead. _

_Harrick is dead. _

'_Livi is dead. _

_Pain._

_Why is there pain? _

_Dani? Where is Dani?_

Disoriented as she was, Harriet desperately groped around on all fours for something, anything, she could use...

_Of the ground. Pain, Pain. Stop touching, no pain._

_Let me go, please stop, stop, stop, STOP. _

_Dani, help me, please help me!_

_Can't help, Dani dead too._

_Everybody is dead._

_Let me die._

_**I want to die.**_

It was then, battered, bloodied and without hope when Harriet's hands curled around something.

_**Kill.**_

* * *

Hyperfocus. A term that has many meanings, but is mostly used to describe an intense form of concentration where the subject enters a state where they block out distractions and focus entirely on a single task at hand, perceiving better ways of acting against problems with faster response times.

In the case of cyborgs, the term is more or less accurate. Deliberately conditioned to enter this state during combat, first generation cyborgs could react faster and smarter in combat situations than a normal human being.

Henrietta was about to demonstrate.

Henrietta sighted on the nearestt man to her and fired right into the back of his head. His back was turned, so he never knew what hit him. A camera clattered to the ground and broke.

His three comrades did not expect the shot, and were momentarily stunned by the sound of the gunshot and the corpse falling to the floor. Capitalising, on their hesitation, Henrietta sighted a second man and pulled the trigger again. Another body hit the ground with a sickening thump.

"Damn it, she's got a gun! Kill her!" This time, the third and fourth men whirled around and levelled their guns at her. Henrietta darted to the side, the familiar weight of her SIG-Sauer P239 feeling comfortable in her hands. Ducking low, Henrietta rolled behind a bunch of crates as the fire erupted from the men's guns.

Despite her evasive move, a bullet grazed her upper left arm leaving a nasty gash that she didn't really feel. Henrietta scowled in annoyance. She'd forgotten one of the men was using an SMG. She had underestimated him. Henrietta would have to drop by the medical wing later to get that fixed, and that would take some time.

Henrietta darted out from cover, quickly centring her gun-sight on the centre mass of the third man and firing two quick shots in succession. Without body armour, the bullets tore through the man's lung and liver, and he went down.

"What the fuck? What the fuck!" The last man, the leader, screamed as he fired wildly at Henrietta, His SMG barking wildly... and then clicked empty. "Oh, fuck!" Henrietta darted out from her cover and charged him head on as she fumbled around for another magazine.

Realizing he was far too slow, the man instead threw a wild punch at her. Futile. Henrietta weaved under the man's fist and brought her gun up under his chin. "OH FU-"

"_Die you piece of shit."_

She fired. His head erupted into a splatter of blood and gore. In just under forty seconds it was over.

Henrietta's eyes quickly scanned the area to make sure there were no other threats in the immediate vicinity. Shortly after, Triela skidded around the corner with her weapon drawn. "Sorry, I just found out the attack on the safe house was a distraction. Are you two okay-WHAT THE HELL? What happened here?"

Henrietta shrugged nonchalantly. What happened? Business as usual.

"I just took out the gunmen Triela. I think it's all clear. We should probably move the principle to-why are you looking at me like that?" Indeed Triela was pointing her gun straight at Henrietta. Puzzled, the young brunette scratched her head. "Triela, it's me, Henrietta. What are you doing?"

"H-Henri-nevermind. Put the gun down. Just... put it down." Triela seemed completely uncertain as to what was going on, which didn't match up to Henrietta's image of the confident cyborg. Just what was she getting at?

"H-Harriet... What have you done?"

Surprised by the familiar voice, Henrietta turned and saw a bloodied and battered Mimi, clutching her torn clothing to her chest, staring right back at Henrietta with fearful eyes. Triela was looking just as stunned as Mimi, which was odd, since Triela obviously knew what a cyborg was capable of. But why would she...

...Harriet blinked as she realized where she was.

"Mimi? Triela?" Harriet whispered and slowly looked around, seeing her surroundings as herself, for the first time. There were four dead people, all from gunshot wounds from the weapon Harriet had fired. Harriet's muscles ached for overexertion, from wanting to move faster and strike harder than she humanly could. Harriet's entire body was throbbing with pain, especially her arm, where the bullet grazed her... but her mind prevented her registering that pain from being anything than a minor annoyance.

It was unbelievable, Harriet had been bloodied, assaulted, shot, and she hadn't felt anything other than a mild annoyance, like she'd been conditioned not to feel pain.

On top of that, Harriet suddenly knew it was her that had killed these people. Harriet, not Henrietta, had fought and killed four men. Every thought, every movement, every calculation in that fight was her own, not Henrietta's. Harriet had just killed four men. Self-defence or not, Harriet had just taken a life.

"What-What did I just...? Did I just do...?" Harriet dropped the SIG-Sauer P239, just moments ago so comfortable in her hands, like it was a hot coal, backing away from it until her back hit the wall shaking her head again and again as if to deny the horror of the scene before her.

She had the ability to enter a Hyper-focused state. She had gained the results of a cyborg's conditioning to resist pain. Memories of training she'd never received allowed her to act with a finesse she shouldn't have had.

Her body may not be that of a cyborg, but her mind...

Epiphany. The dream from that morning. Understanding. What the dream meant. Horror. The implications of her discovery. Harriet screamed.

"H-H-Harriet..." Mimi breathed in disbelief, still unable to move from where she was slumped against the street. Sensing that Harriet was no longer a threat, Triela lowered her gun, while keeping a wary eye on the teenager who had just killed three men and was now howling in anguish.

"What the hell is going on?" Triela whispered.

Harriet collapsed to the ground and hugged her knees to herself, feeling tears spilling from her eye. She choked out frightened sobs. Harriet found out the answer to the very question that had burned in her mind since yesterday.

Harriet knew where Henrietta had gone.

_

* * *

_

_To be continued..._

_

* * *

_

_A/N - Unfortunately, I'm afraid to announce that from this point forward, I will be slowing down the rate at which I release my chapters to a monthly basis. Rest assured, Harriet's adventures will continue on for a ways yet. Thank you for your continued support!  
_


	7. Someone to Trust

**Disclaimers:**

Gunslinger Girl is the property of Yu Aida.

Danica Vinci is based on an original character created by 'Persona With Many Aliases'.

The Gandors (Cameo) are from Baccano!, created by Ryohgo Narita

* * *

**A Girl Named Harriet**

**By Sasahara17**

**Chapter 7: Someone to Trust**

* * *

"_Hello? Jean Croce speaking."_

"Jean, it's Hillshire."

"_Ah, Hillshire. You didn't check in last night."_

"Sorry Jean. There was... a complication."

"_I'd expect so if you didn't report in. I trust you're unharmed?"_

"Yeah, it's all tied up. Listen, Jean, about the Vinci girl..."

"_Oh, you've got her? Good work, Hillshire. We should be there in about thirty minutes. So? Did she know anything at all?"_

"Unfortunately, that's where things get a little complicated, Jean."

* * *

Lunch, and still no sign of Harriet.

Danica hadn't gone to school that day. Where she had had, been the entire morning was the police station, waiting for any news regarding her missing sister.

After they had parted ways the previous day, Harriet hadn't come to soccer practice. Or roll call. Or first period. Or _anything_ after that. As far as Danica could tell, right after Harriet had left with that blonde, dark-skinned girl, she'd vanished. That evening right after school, she'd gone straight to the local police station to file a report, only to discover that the authorities were all frantically dealing with some sort of gang war.

Twelve bodies and counting.

That didn't help Danica's nerves one bit.

Danica slept over in the station after making the report and had waited throughout the night for any results, praying for come sign that Harriet was safe. She'd called her parents and siblings, all of whom were now worried just as much as her.

Eventually, after pointless waiting, Danica had gotten fed up and tried to be proactive by looking for Harriet on her own. Hence why she was now in the lunch hall, asking everybody she knew cross if they had seen any sigh of her sister. So far, Danica had no such luck.

"I'm sorry Danica, I haven't seen Harriet," Julius informed Danica, with more than a hint of concern, after the brunette had approached him.

"No, in fact, she didn't come home last night." Danica said, blinking the tiredness out her eyes. "I was hoping you'd have seen her, since you're her partner for the history project."

"Have you tried the teachers?" Julius suggested.

"They were the first people I asked when I got here. They didn't know anything, either." Danica let out a growl of frustration. She felt so helpless!

Although Harriet had tried to hide it, Danica had noticed her twin had been acting strange as of late. Harriet had been jumping at shadows, zoning out as if in deep thought, or even becoming evasive when someone had asked her an innocent question. Danica had known Harriet for all her life. This behaviour wasn't something that was easily missed.

What if she was in some sort of trouble and something had happened to her?

"Danica, don't worry. The police will find your sister." Julius laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Just try and stay strong until then."

"But last night there was this shooting and..."

"You know your sister had nothing to do with that." Julius reassured Danica, keeping his voice level. "Harriet's a sensible girl. Wherever she is, Harriet knows how to take care of herself. Remember, dependable Harriet?"

Danica said. "Okay."

"Good. Now why don't you go home, Danica? You look horrible."

* * *

Soon after, Danica walked out of the front gate of the school. However, home was not the destination she had in mind. Danica was headed for the police station to check if they had any news. After that, she'd continue her search elsewhere.

However thankful she was to Julius for his kind words, Danica couldn't bring herself to believe them. Call it what you will, there was the common myth that twins had an almost psychic connection with each other and could tell whenever the other was in danger. Danica didn't know if it was true, but somehow Danica knew beyond a doubt that Harriet was in mortal peril.

There was no way Danica could rest while her sister was missing.

"Harriet, please be safe." She whispered in prayer.

* * *

Harriet felt horrible.

She was lying face up on a bed with bandages all over her upper body. One of her hands was handcuffed to keep her escaping, but honestly with the way she was feeling, Hillshire needn't have bothered. Every single muscle in her body was screaming at her for having been such a colossal idiot the previous night. In her focused state Harriet had been forcing a normal fifteen year old girl's body to move like that of a cyborg, and right now her mind was telling her what a stupid idea that had been.

She'd never considered herself unfit before, what with having been a key player in the soccer team, but hat she'd done last night was just too much for her body to handle!

"That settles it. If I get out of here, I'm going to the gym." Harriet resolved.

The key word was 'if'. After their near death experience last night, Harriet had 'shut down' due to exhaustion and her wounds. Hillshire and Triela carried her to another, more secure, safe house where they tended to her injuries. Unfortunately while they were at it, Mimi had gone and spilled the beans about her memories of Henrietta.

Because nobody had been forthcoming with the details so Harriet had no idea how that conversation had gone. What was worse, Jean Croce had arrived and was now discussing with this task group what her fate would be, in the adjacent room. Even in the empty room, Harriet could hear the sounds of a heated debate in the room over. Practically paralyzed and handcuffed to the bed, Harriet's fate was out of her hands; she could only wait alone in the room for the verdict.

"It sucks to be me." Her musings were interrupted by the sound of a door creeping open.

"Harriet Vinci."

Harriet turned her head to see the stony face of Jean Croce stride into the room with Rico faithfully trailing behind him. "My name is Jean Croce. I am the senior agent in charge of your situation."

"I see." Harriet sighed.

"A decision regarding your... situation has been reached," Jean informed her.

It was strange. Harriet didn't feel anxiety. She didn't feel nervous. Instead, Harriet simply looked into Jean Croce's eyes with a dead calm. "Tell me."

* * *

Triela walked into the room and leaned against the wall with her arms folded. The cyborg concentrated her senses for a second, as if scanning the room, before nodding her head in satisfaction. "You can speak honestly. Hillshire is guarding the door. I can guarantee no one is listening in on us."

"Where's Mimi?"

"We've taken her to a hospital. She's been treated for shock and minor bruising, but she should be fine. You can see her after you've been released." Triela smirked, likely recalling a particularly amusing memory,. "She wouldn't leave until after she was sure you were fine. You probably saved her life."

"You were going to show up sooner or later." Harriet muttered.

Triela shook her head. "That's not what I meant. If you hadn't stopped those men when you did... well let's just leave things at that."

Harriet wondered what Mimi thought of her, now. When she'd last saen Mimi, Harriet was sure that her friend had been terrified of her; Harriet had just killed four men before her eyes, after all. Regardless of whether Mimi still wanted to have anything to do with her after this, Harriet knew their friendship would never be the same.

Harriet narrowed her eyes at Triela. Mimi was safe, that was what mattered. However there was a more pressing concern Harriet had to address. "You and Hillshire covered for me. Why?"

Earlier Jean Croce had given her a confidentiality agreement for her to sign. He'd told her that as long as she didn't divulge any information about the SWA, they would leave her alone. While this was good news for Harriet, what alarmed her was that Jean was of the mistaken belief that Hillshire and Triela had messed up.

The official story would be that the dynamic duo had stupidly abducted an innocent civilian, whom they'd mistakenly suspected of having definite knowledge of the SWA, and ended up giving the girl definitive evidence in their blotched interrogation and the subsequent fire fight where they had slaughtered all the assailants.

In short, Jean didn't know anything about what Harriet knew or was capable of, and it wall all thanks to Triela and Hillshire.

Harriet wanted to know _why_.

"What was I supposed to tell them?" Triela shrugged. "Let's see, you successfully bluffed me and Hillshire into letting you go. Then you killed four armed men in an enclosed alley in close quarters despite being out gunned. On top of that you happen to know almost everything about our organisation because of some dream you have about a girl that doesn't exist!" She counted off on her fingers.

"I see your point. But why did you help me, Triela? You and Hillshire could have just as easily fabricated a story that worked against me."

"Well maybe we're just softies, at heart." Triela gave a small chuckle. "But seriously? You saved Mimi. That immediately puts you in our good books."

Harriet gazed at Triela in contemplation and a newfound sense of respect. She knew that Triela and Hillshire were the closest thing the SWA had to anything that could be coined 'rebels'. This, though, was something different, entirely. If anyone found out what they had done for her, the duo would be facing some serious repercussions for them.

"...Thank you."

"Now I'd like to ask you a question, Harriet." Triela pushed herself off the wall and hovered over her bed. "If you are telling the truth about Henrietta, and do have her memories, what do you think of me?" Triela leaned her face down so that she could be eye to eye with Harriet. Harriet found herself wilting under the intensity of Triela's gaze. "Do you think me a monster? A murderer? Or do you pity me for the life I lead?"

"Why do you want to know?"

"Chalk it up to my boundless curiosity. If you are telling the truth, then answer honestly. I want to know what you think of the cyborgs of the SWA."

Harriet could see it in her eyes; Triela really wanted to know. Harriet was someone who had seen both the life of a cyborg and the life of a normal person. She was probably the only one in the world that could properly judge if the cyborgs were human or monsters. This was why Triela asked her, and why it was so important she answered honestly.

Harriet pondered her own feelings and carefully chose her answer.

"You scare me Triela. You all scare me, but not for the reasons you might think. One part of me thinks it's fought side by side with you for years, and another sees you as something that I can't even comprehend. You can protect me from harm, but just as easily kill me in a heartbeat," Harriet answered honestly. "And on top of that, I can't decide if you're a stranger or a friend. In short Triela, I can't tell you anything right now. It's too soon to tell what I think about you. This is just as confusing to me as it is to you."

Triela studied Harriet for a while and then pulled away. "That's about as good enough an answer as I can get, for now, I suppose." Triela nodded agreeing with Harriet's answer. "You're weird enough as it is. I don't think I can take it if you thought you could waltz into the dorm in a sunflower hat handing out roses."

"I'm sorry I couldn't give you a more definitive answer."

"No biggie. Not your fault. You were right; I asked you too early when you have all this other stuff you're dealing with." Triela sighed. "Harriet, the truth is that I know I can trust you. I don't know why, but that's what my instincts tell me. If you know me as well as you say you do, then you should know that I've never gone wrong about my instincts before."

Harriet raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Even when you ganked Claes all those times on eBay? I'm not sure if her revenge has happened yet since my memory is fuzzy, but if it hasn't you'd better stop now. A crate load of 'Hillshire Farms' sausages delivered express to your room is not something that is easy to live down."

"You know about that too?" Triela gaped at Harriet for a moment before she chuckled wistfully. "You are an interesting one, aren't you, Harriet Vinci?"

* * *

Harriet was given a number of painkillers and was soon proclaimed well enough she could be taken out of the safe house to a hospital. Limping out the room they had kept her in behind Triela and Hillshire, she entered into what seemed to be a comfortable living room where the SWA staff who had come to deal with her were all seated.

Harriet was disheartened to find that particular company included two people she knew quite well. "Harrick. Kiki. I thought I would be seeing you, sooner or later," Harriet greeted the two in front of her coolly.

"...Aren't you going to say anything?" Harrick asked while having his eyes downcast in shame. Likewise, Kiki was shooting nervous glances at Harriet, as if wanting to say something, but being unable to do so. Having once been in Henrietta's shoes, Harriet knew how awkward things could get when cyborgs had to come clean to someone not in the know.

"What do you expect me to say?" Harriet responded. "Accuse you for lying to me? To us? Your family?"

"Harriet, I-" Harrick started, but he was cut off from a stern glare from Harriet.

"Not now. Not now, Harrick. I need time to think Harrick. I really do." Looking at her brother and Kiki, Harriet found herself fighting down a rage she didn't think she'd possessed. How could her brother, her noble brother, who had always fought for justice, have become a handler? He'd picked a child and turned her into a weapon! It went against _everything_ their parents had thaught, them! Everything they believed in!

Harriet did not trust herself around Harrick right now, especially after all that had just transpired. Maybe he was trying to serve and protect in his own way, but Harriet could not accept what she perceived Harrick to have done to Kiki.

"Harrick, please. Just let me think."

"Harrick, you can talk with your sister about this on your own free time. Hillshire, Triela, see Ms Vinci to the hospital and then get packing. We have wasted enough time here." Jean cut in with annoyance. The second in command of the SWA clearly thought the matter ended, and wanted to be back in Rome as soon as possible.

"Yes, Jean." Hillshire acknowledged his superior and gently nudged Harriet towards the door. "Come on Ha-Ms Vinci. You can talk with your brother after you've healed up."

Hillshire was right. Harriet was in no condition to be having this argument. She followed Triela and Hillshire out the door, but paused in the doorway to say some last words. "...Harrick, I won't tell anyone. Not even Danica. I can do that much for you at least."

"Harriet!" Harrick called, but she was soon out the door.

* * *

The room descended into silence, as Harrick arm outstretched towards the door, was left alone with an impassive looking Jean, Kiki on the verge of tears, and Rico, who was still crunching away at Doritos not a care in the world. Kiki excused herself weakly and shuffled off, likely to have go somewhere to vent her own sorrow. Harrick, on the other hand, could only sit slumped in his chair and think.

"I shouldn't have come here," Harrick whispered to himself as he fell back against his chair. He willed himself to forget Harriet's face staring at him, devoid of all the love he associated with her, to no avail. Maybe she wouldn't tell the rest of his family, but it didn't change the fact he'd lost Harriet forever.

"You're the one that wanted to come," Jean pointed out.

"You knew this would happen, and that's why you let me," Harrick accused his senior handler, who merely shrugged off the accusation.

"Trust me Harrick, you'll thank me for this later."

* * *

"That was... intense," Triela noted when they had all gotten into Hillshire's van. Hillshire even let go of the breadth, he had been holding.

"Sorry. It's just he's my brother."

"Things are always different when it comes to family," Hillshire agreed solemnly as he started the engine.

Harriet had an epiphany. Speaking of family...

"Wait. Take me home first. There's someone I need to see."

* * *

Harriet found her sister huddled with her knees against her chest in the front door. Danica looked absolutely horrid, almost as bad as she was. Clearly, Danica hadn't eaten or bathed for the entire day. The poor girl was probably worried sick. Harriet limped over to hunched form and lifted a hand in greeting. "Hello, Dani. Sorry I'm late."

Danica's head shot up at her voice. Harriet was soon tackled by her little sister. Harriet winced in pain, but quashed it easily. "Harriet! What happened? Where were-Harriet you're hurt!"Danica exclaimed, when she noticed her sister's bandages under her clothes. "What happened to you?"

"It's a very long story," Harriet said as she stroked her sister's hair. "It's okay, I'm safe now. There was a fight, but the police saved me. Thanks for the police report, by the way."

"Don't ever do that again!" Danica sobbed into Harriet's chest. "I was so worried."

"It's okay, Dani," Harriet cooed, "It's all going to be okay."

* * *

"...and that is the end of my report." Jean concluded much, much later, after the SWA detachment had returned to their headquarters in Rome. While Rico, Triela and Kiki had gone to the dormitory to catch some much needed rest, Their handlers, on the other hand, had gone straight into Chief Lorenzo's office to deliver their report.

Lorenzo nodded and turned to the youngest man in the room. "Harrick, are you absolutely certain that your sister will not speak of this?"

"Not even to our sisters, sir," Harrick stated candidly.

"I will take your word for it. Thank you, Harrick. Your three are dismissed."

Harrick was the only man to turn around and leave the room. Hillshire and Jean continued to stand at attention, waiting for their colleague to leave the room. Wary, Harrick shot them concerned glances and was relieved when Hillshire returned a reassuring nod. Harrick then left, grateful that one of his seniors was looking out for him.

Lorenzo gave a great sigh and rubbed his eyes. "It would seem that more and more civilians are becoming aware of our agency with every passing day. I take it you two have something to say?"

"It would have been easier if the girl had died on her own. She is too much of an unknown factor." Jean noted coldly. "We can still make it look like an accident-"

"Permission to speak freely?" Hillshire interrupted.

"Granted." Lorenzo noted.

"It wouldn't have been right. Not only is she a civilian, but _Harrick_ is one of our own, and _Harriet's_ death could impact his morale." Hillshire's words conveying his anger at Jean, even suggesting such a thing.

"Or it could have motivated him further."

"Motivated him to be like you?"

Lorenzo cleared his throat loudly, causing the two to stop bickering. The SWA chief knew that even the faintest mention of Jean's sister in his presence was taboo and had to step in before it escalated.

"Both of you hold valid points, but I am going to have to side with Hillshire on this one, Jean. There is a thin line that separates us from the people we are fighting against. I would normally agree with silencing a witness, however the Vinci family has protected this country for many generations. It still continues to do so, as you are all very aware, in your colleague's dedication to our cause. There is where the line is. I will _not_ condone anything of the sort that will dishonour their commitment to this nation, unless absolutely necessary. Understood?"

"Yes, sir. I understand." Jean nodded as he realized the rationale behind Lorenzo's decision.

Satisfied, the SWA chief turned to the other man. "Hillshire, remember that some lives must be sacrificed for the mission. Do not forget that one wrong leak could put everyone, Triela especially, in peril. I trust you to remember this. This is the second time a young child has been exposed to danger because of your cyborg. Do not let there be a third."

"I understand, sir." Hillshire grit his teeth and weathered the subtle threat in Lorenzo's words against his partner. The blow was somewhat lessened by Hillshire's knowledge that the leak was in reality not his or Triela's fault, but Hillshire knew that they would have to be more cautious for a while.

"Good. My decision stands. You two are dismissed."

* * *

"She was too calm, Joseph. I don't buy it," Jean confided to his brother. They were drinking together in Joseph's apartment where Jean could privately vent his suspicions. "A grown man would have been scared out of his mind by us. Harriet Vinci didn't even blink. That girl is hiding something."

Joseph shrugged. "It doesn't really matter, Jean. Lorenzo's already made his decision."

"Still..."

"Jean, I'm in the Intel department. Trust me when I say that Miss Harriet Vinci has nothing to hide," Jospeh clapped his brother on the back. "You worry too much, Jean."

"Yeah, I guess I do," Jean sighed. Although he was always stoic at work, those that managed to pierce Jean's stony exterior saw a tired man, weary of the constant battles, yet unable to stop, because of his unstoppable drives. "By the way, Joseph, the offer is still open. You could still be a handler. You belong in the field, not at some desk job in an office."

"This again?" Joseph laughed. "No, Jean. I don't trust myself out there anymore,"

Joseph maintained apologetically. Joseph used to be Carabineri, and he was one of their best. However, the death of their sister Enrica had completely shattered his confidence, and Joseph had quietly taken a support role in the SWA's operations. Despite his formidable skills, Joseph gained a reputation as a 'washed-up-has-been'.

It was something that Jean could not stand, as he knew his brother could be so much more.

"Joseph, you have to wake up. At the rate you're going, you won't get anywhere in life. At least join Alphonso and Amadeo..."

"Sorry Jean, the answer is still no. Please, we've had this conversation before."

Jean balled his fists in frustration. "You used to be something, Joseph. Enrica... she wouldn't have wanted this," Jean said finally as he got up and left Joseph's apartment in a huff.

Jean wanted his brother back.

* * *

Joseph looked at Jean's retreating form and hung his head. Jean was right. He used to be something, but he lacked the courage to go out again. There was no fire, no drive. Joseph knew everyone thought of him as a 'has-been'. They were right.

"A handler, huh?" Joseph shook his head. A failure like him would never be able to do anything, let alone the job of a handler. He couldn't trust himself, so how could he be a role model for someone that impressionable? Besides, despite Jean's arguments, Joseph knew Enrica would be turning over in her grave if he'd ever picked someone as his cyborg.

Not really having anything else on his agenda, now that Jean had gone, Joseph cleaned himself up and prepared for bed. A handler. If Joseph were honest with himself, he probably would have taken that position with pride.

Joseph often dreamed about what would happen if he did. It wasn't a bad dream, and, like life, there were pros and cons, ups and downs. Jose saw himself as a more confident man, a better man. A man he certainly was not. Behind him was a young girl who trusted him implicitly. She learned from him and he from her.

In her eyes, he saw she loved him as her own brother.

He loved her too.

Together, they made their dark corner of the world that much brighter.

But that was his dream, and at the end of the day, that was all it was. In reality, Joseph was alone. Lying in his bed and staring at the black ceiling, Joseph could find no better reminder of this. Yet, he still dreamed.

He closed his eyes and relaxed into his pillow... and let his dreams take him.

Joseph smiled as he drifted off, the familiar form of the short, brown haired, hazel eyed girl who called him 'brother' slowly coming into focus.

"...Henrietta."

* * *

_To be continued..._


End file.
